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THE WHY OF FORT SCOTl 

MARY L. BARLOW 











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This book is dedicated 

to 

IVIrs. Elizabeth Wilson Goodlander 

One of the few now living, who were 
born on the historic Plaza. 

1921 



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A FOREWORD. 

This little compilation has been made, that the 
people of Fort Scott may have a succinct and con- 
nected account of the town, from its earliest times 
to the close of the Civil War, and also that they may 
have a ready reference of the happenings during 
that time. 

There is a vast amount of information to be ob- 
tained, but it is so deeply buried in extraneous mat- 
ter that it is hard to sift out the material needed, 
and the compiler has spent much time during three 
years, in gathering all this buried material, and 
putting it in form available for use by the general 
public. Every book that might contain any material 
pertaining to Fort Scott, has been searched, and 
everybody who might have scraps of information 
in their possession, has been asked to search their 
memory for any little incidents that might help to 
interpret the atmosphere of the old fort to the 
younger generation. 

Those young men and those young wives with 
their babies and Uttle children, who "crossed the 
plains" to build that we might live in comfort, 
might well have borrowed the State motto, "Ad 
astra per aspera," for their own. Most of them 
were young people from comfortable homes, homes 
of refinement and homes of plenty, and they were 
determined to put Fort Scott "on the map," and 
they did, through their hard work, backed with 
plenty of energy, foresight, and all the quahties that 
go to make the pioneer. We all take off our hats 



to them. Not only that, but like Cyrano, we sweep 
the ground with them . 

The compiler is under many obligations to Mrs. 
C. W. Goodlander, and Mr. T. F. Robley, both of 
whom gave her carte blanche to use Mr. G. W. 
Goodlander's "Early Days of Fort Scott," and T. F. 
Robley's "History of Bourbon County." Much con- 
tained in this little book is quoted, almost verbatim, 
from these two books. Mrs. Goodlander, Mi^. A. 
Campbell and others have helped to make it more 
readable by giving many illuminating anecdotes 
and incidents connected with the early times on the 
Plaza. 

After much searching, correspondence with the 
War Department at Washington, and help from 
Judge J. C. Cannon, Wm. Osbun, T. A. Caldwell 
and D. J. Field (of Richards) the compiler feels 
that she has made a fairly accurate routing of the 
Military Road. 

The Plat of the Plaza was submitted to Wm. Beth, 
who came here in 1842, a baby in arms, and remem- 
bers it as it was in the old fort days. As he passed 
favorably upon it the compiler ventures to incorpo- 
rate it in this work. 

To Henry Baseman she is indebted for the loca- 
tion of the different companies of troops stationed 
here during the War Days. 

M. L. Barlow 

Fort Scott Kansas 

1921. 



INDEX 



QUIVERA 1 

KANSAS' NAME 3 

KANSAS COUNTRY 4 

KANSAS SEAL 6 

MILITARY ROAD 8 

PLAZA 13 

HOTELS 19 

MODES OF TRAVEL 22 

SLAVERY 25 

SCHOOLS 26 

BURIAL GROUNDS 30 

BOURBON COUNTY 31 

POST OFFICE 32 

BORDER TROUBLES 35 

NEWSPAPERS 46 

BUSINESS 1858-59 48 

BUILDING OUTSIDE OF PLAZA 50 

CHURCHES 53 

TOWN COMPANY 56 

BLOCK HOUSES 59 

FIRST CITY ELECTION 61 

WAR HAPPENS 62 

PRICE'S RAID 70 

SUMMARY 72 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 82 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 



QUIVERA 

Coronada, Spanish explorer and governor of one 
of the provinces of New Spain, Mexico, was given 
command of an expedition to be sent out to search 
for the far-famed "Seven Cities of Cibola," and in- 
cidentally, for all the treasures supposed to be found 
in this region. A friar claimed to have found these 
seven cities, which are now thought to have been 
some of the extensive stone pueblos of the Zuni 
Indians. The expedition of horsemen and infantry 
were well supplied with arms, artillery, munitions 
and food. 

Coronado went as far west as the Grand Canon, 
then returned to near what is now Bernatello New 
Mexico, and camped for the winter. While there, 
he heard glowing accounts of the land further 
north, which was rich in gold, silver and other met- 
als. Taking three hundred of his best men, and 
guided by a plains Indian, (whom they named "the 
Turk") Coronado started in the spring of 1540 to 
locate this wonderful country, Quivera. 

They travelled through what is now Kansas in a 
north-easterly direction, nearly to the Nebraska 
line. Finding no treasure, they killed the "Turk," 
blaming him for their lack of success. 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

and started their homeward march. In his report 
to the King of Spain of his expedition to Quivera, 
he speaks of the inhabitants as "Hving in round huts 
covered with straw." As the Wichita Indians were 
the only Indians whose houses, or tepees, were cov- 
ered with straw, the conclusion reached by numer- 
ous students of the subject "Quivera" is, that the 
famed Quivera was in the region about Great Bend 
and Newton, Kansas, the then hunting-ground of 
the Wichita Indians. In his report, too, he speaks 
of the "fat, black, well-watered land, abounding in 
prune trees (wild plums) and sweet grapes." Also, 
in this report, we get the first mention of the buffalo 
and the vast grassy prairies. 

If Coronado had but turned his swords into 
pruning hooks, and applied a little elbow grease, 
he might have found his much-sought treasure in 
the shape of golden grain and other products of the 
"fat, black" soil, and thus have realized his "Qui- 



"In that half -forgotten era. 
With the avarice of old. 
Seeking cities he was told 
Had been paved with yellow gold, 
In the kingdom of Quivera. 

Came the restless Coronado 

To the open Kansas plain, 

With his knights from Sunny Spain, 

In an effort that, though vain 

Thrilled with boldness and bravado," 



"Ironquilir {E. F, Ware.) 




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SOLDIERS' BARRACKS 184^ 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

KANSAS' NAME 

There has been much controversy over the origin 
of tlie name, Kansas. Prof. John B. Dunbar, a stu- 
dent of the Indian languages, says the word is de- 
rived from the Indian word "Kanza," meaning 
"swift." In an article in vol. 10, p. 531, of the State 
Historical Collection the statement is made that, 
on a map of what is now eastern Kansas appears 
the name, "Pays des Cansas," (Land of the Causes.) 
Very likely, that is the map-maker's spelling of 
"Kanza." On some of the old maps, the Kansas or 
Kaw River was spelled, "Riviere des Cans, des 
Kances, des Quans, and Kanza." 

To quote again, "The first mention of the Kansas 
Indian was about the beginning of the 17th Cent., 
when a Spaniard, Juan de Onate, a member of one 
of the Spanish expeditions, gave the name "Escan- 
saques," to the tribes of Indians in this region, the 
word meaning to trouble, or, to molest." 

Thus in our search for the origin of the name Kan- 
sas, we are led ine\dtably back to the name given 
by the Spaniards to the Indians in this region. No 
matter whether spelled Kanza, Cans, Causes, 
Quans or Escansaques. 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

KANSAS COUNTRY 

We go back in our political history, to the Louis- 
iana Purchase. They said in New York City, then 
the capital of the United States, "President Jeffer- 
son is going to buy a tract of land somewhere out 
west. It is such an extravagant piece of legislation, 
what do we want of it? We have enough land al- 
ready; it is only good for Indians, anyway." Nev- 
ertheless, Jefferson had foresight enough to go 
ahead and make the treaty with France, thereby 
adding 1,000,000 sq. miles to the infant U. S. The 
treaty was made on April 30th 1803. The Spaniards 
occupied the land until 1804, when Major Ames 
Stoddard, acting as agent of France, went to St. 
Louis, and formally accepted the cession of the 
province from the Spanish Lieutenant-Governor, 
Don Carlos Delassus, on March 9th, 1804. The 
Spanish regiment marched out, and a detachment 
of the 7th U. S. Artillery marched in and raised the 
American flag. Thus what is now Kansas became a 
part of the United States. Kansas (except a small 
portion in the southwest acquired from Texas, in 
1850) was carved out of this "Louisiana Purchase.'* 
In 1812, Congress renamed this middle region "The 
Territory of Missouri," but this part seems to have 
been generally referred to as the "Country of the 
Kansas Indians," or "The Kansas Indian Country." 

In 1825, the Government began its Removal 
Policy, and eventually corralled seventeen tribes, 
all the Indians on reservations east of the Mississ- 
ippi River in what is now Kansas. They were to 
occupy their reservations "as long as the grass grew 
and water flowed." Fort Scott was built on the 
New York Indian reservation. 

The first white people to come to this country 
were the fur-traders. As early as 1825, Chouteau 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Bros, secured a license to trade with the Indians 
west of the Mississippi River, and made their cen- 
tral trading post on the land now occupied by the 
city of St. Louis, and established branch posts all 
over the country. There was one on the Military 
Road near Pleasanton, now known as Trading Post, 
that is very often mentioned in the early annals 
of Kansas . This Fur business amounted, in 
some years, to $300,000.00 and all paid 
for in whiskey, tolDacco and trinkets. Don't 
mention present-day profiteering! These fur-traders 
or voyageurs (rowers because they travelled mostly 
in canoes,) were the real pathfinders, tracing the 
streams to their source, exploring the boundless 
prairies and thus constituting themselves a general 
information bureau. 

The next to come were the missionaries from the 
different denominations establishing missions over 
much of the country. The missions were the only 
stopping places for all the early pioneers, a sort of 
half-way house. A traveler was always assured a 
bed and something to eat, a much welcome hospi- 
tality when overtaken by night or storms. They 
were the centers of education for both the Indians 
and white children. In their time they were both a 
university and an agricultural college, for they gave 
courses in academic studies, in farming and the 
trades. Many men and women of culture and re- 
finement devoted their lives to teaching in these 
missions. Their's was the same spirit that actuated 
the apostles to labor among the heathen, and their 
crowns may shine a little bit brighter than the 
crowns of we stay-at-homes. 

Finally an Act was passed in Congress defining 
what is now Kansas as part of the Indian Territory. 
The boundaries of this territory were from the 
western line of Missouri as far west as the "State 
of Deseret," the name given by the Mormons, 1849, 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

to Utah. The name signifies "Land of the Honey- 
bee." From Minnesota on the north, to Texas on 
the south. 

In 1854, Kansas emerged, battle-scarred, but 
daunless to be erected into a territory ready to begin 
her bloody struggle for entrance into the Union. 
Her struggle shook the whole country and for 
awhile all eyes turned to this far western land to 
know which party would win, the Free State or the 
Pro-Slavery. She won out as a free state and was 
admitted into the Union, January 29th, 1861. On 
February 22nd, the U. S. flag with an added star, 
was raised over Independence Hall in Philadelphia. 

Charles Sumner speaks of Kansas as "the middle 
spot of North America calculated to nurture a pow- 
erful and generous people.'* Wm. D. Seward said: 
"Kansas is the Cinderella of the American family." 
Henry Ward Beecher said : "There is no monument 
under Heaven on which I would rather have my 
name inscribed than on this goodly state of Kansas." 
J. H. Forney said: "If I had been commanded to 
choose one spot on the globe, upon which to illus- 
trate human development under the influence of ab- 
solute Liberty, I could have chosen no part of God*s 
foot-stool as interesting as Kansas, yesterday an 
infant, today a giant, tomorrow — who can tell?" 

SEALS 

TERRITORIAL. 

This seal was engraved by Robert Lovett, of 
Philadelphia, after a design submitted by Andrew 
H. Reeder, first Territorial Governor. It consists 
of a shield with two supporters, surmounted by a 
scroll motto; in the lower compartment is the buf- 
falo and the hunter; in the upper, the implements 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

of agriculture. The left-hand supporter is a pioneer 
with his smock-frock, leggings, rifle and tomahawk. 
The right-hand supporter is the Goddess, Ceres, 
with her sheaf. At their feet, lie a fallen tree and an 
axe. The motto two inches in diameter, is "Populi 
voce nata," (Born of the popular will.) 

KANSAS SEAL. 

March 1861, the Legislature appointed a commit- 
tee of six to present a design for a State Seal. De- 
sign after design was submitted and discussions ga- 
lore were the order of the day, and on May 20th 
the design of the present seal was adopted. 

The East was represented by the rising sun; the 
West by a herd of retreating buffalo, pursued by 
two mounted Indians; Agriculture by a man plow- 
ing; Government of the country by a settler's cabin, 
and a train of moving-wagons going west; Com- 
merce, by a river and a steamboat. Over the top 
is the motto, "Ad astra per aspera,*' (To the stars 
through difficulties) ; beneath the motto is a cluster 
of thiry-four stars, representing the thiry-four 
states. Around the outside are the words "The 
Great Seal of the State of Kansas, Jan. 29th, 1861." 
There has been much controversy as to who sug- 
gested the design. The credit for the selection is 
given to Josiah Miller, a member of the committee, 
and is so stated on his monument. It is likely that 
the final design was a combination of the different 
designs submitted. It is generally conceded that 
John J. Ingalls' design was very little changed but 
some additions were made, such as the steamboat, 
the plowing and the buffalo. It is almost certain 
that the motto "Ad astra per aspera" was on his de- 
sign, for he speaks of "having seen it on an old 
brass seal in the office of a gentleman, with whom 
I read law in Haverhill. Mass. in 1857." 



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THE MILITARY ROAD 1843 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

MILITARY ROAD 

In 1825, the Government conceived the plan of 
moving all the Indians, on reservations east of the 
Mississippi River, out to Kansas, and turning them 
loose that they might get back "next to Nature's 
heart." Forthwith, treaties were made with the dif- 
ferent Indian tribes and they were dumped on 
their new reservations, with the promise that they 
should have these particular reservations to have 
and to hold "as long as the grass grew and water 
flowed." Fort Scott was built on the New York In- 
dian land. Of course they were no sooner well 
"next to Nature's heart" than they reverted to type 
and began harrying and raiding all the white set- 
tlements along the Missouri border. 

When the Government saw what a mistake had 
been made by their "Removal Policy," Congress was 
asked for an appropriation for a military road, 
linking the western forts. On Dec. 23rd, 1835, this 
motion was made in the Senate, by Mr. Linn: "Re- 
solved that the committe on military affairs be 
instructed to inquire into the expediency of making 
an appropriation for the purpose of constructing 
a military road from Cantonment Des Moines to 
Cantonment Leavenworth, thence to Fort Gibson," 
Cherokee Nation, later Indian Territory. 

All the reports made on this resolution make the 
guarding of this border country from the depreda- 
tions of the Indians in this "buffalo country," as one 
report calls Kansas, the reason for building this 
road. Leavenworth, (established in 1827,) was then 
the western terminus of river traffic and the dis- 
tributing point of all military stores. This Military 
Road was intended to facilitate the transportation 
of these supplies and troops to these two far forts, 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

and to make a more certain and easier route for the 
patrolling companies. 

A commission under Col. S. W. Kearney and 
Capt. N. Boone, 1st Dragoons U. S. Army were sent 
out from Washington to locate this road, and the 
survey was finished in 1842 and a report thereof 
sent to Washington by Charles Dimmick, Govern- 
ment civil engineer. He had been repeatedly charged 
to place the road within the Territory but as close to 
the Missouri line as possible. At all fords the road 
was graded down to the stream, as can be plainly 
seen today at our Military Ford, at Marias des 
Cygnes, and other places. 

On the completion of the Road, which is the why 
of Fort Scott, the Government sent out two com- 
missioners, Capt. B. J. Moore and Dr. Jacob R. 
Mott, to decide on a location for a cantonment about 
mid-way between Forts Leavenworth and Gibson. 
They were to take with them the contingent of 
troops then occupying the Cantonment Fort Wayne, 
Arkansas, consisting of 120 men and three officers, 
Capt. B. D. Moore, J. Simpson, assistant surgeon, 
and Lieut. W. Eustis, and march north along this 
newly surveyed road and locate a new cantonment 
as before indicated. They found one location that 
they thought would be desirable, but the land was 
held by an Indian, and he, thinking it a chance of 
getting some of the white chief's money, wanted 
$4,000.00 for it. As this was $3,000.00 more than 
the Government had allowed for the purchase of 
land, they continued their march, reaching, one 
evening, a farm house just across the Missouri bor- 
der from here, owned by a Col. Geo. Douglas, and 
camped for the night. Col. Douglas, on learning the 
object of their search, told them about this location 
on the Marmaton. Early next morning, the offi- 
cers, guided by Col. Douglas rode over to the future 
site of Fort Scott. They were so pleased with the 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

location, the extended view of the Military Road 
from the Plaza bluff, the nearness to a stream of 
water, and the high and dry elevation on which to 
place their cantonment, that there was an imme- 
diate and unanimous vote for the location. 

The contingent broke camp, on the return of the 
officers to the Douglas farm, and marched over to 
their future camp and immediately started work on 
their temporary quarters. Lieut., then Sergeant, 
Hamilton felled the first tree. This was on May 
30th, 1842. It was called Camp Scott after Gen. 
Winfield Scott, but in 1843, by order from Washing- 
ton, it w^as changed to Fort Scott. These temporary 
quarters, of course, were built of logs, the chinks 
stopped with mud. These log houses stood near 
where the Plaza School now stands. After the per- 
manent buildings were finished, these houses, with 
the exception of one, were burned. The remaining 
one was occupied for a time by the Surgeon of the 
Post, and, later, by Judge Margrave. In it, Mrs. E. 
J. Rollings, still of this city, was born. You will find 
an account of the permanent quarters of the Post, 
under the heading, "The Plaza." 

The commissioners returned east, and according 
to some authorities, Lieut. J. Hamilton was left in 
charge of the troops and under his supervision the 
permanent quarters were built. 

This Military Road continued to be the main 
route for all military supplies the stages those trav- 
eling on horse-back or in moving-wagons, army 
supply trains, etc., until the war broke out, as I be- 
fore stated. Looking over the State Historical re- 
ports, one often sees mention of this road. Rev. 
Cyrus Rice, circuit-rider of this District, tells of an 
amusing incident that happened on this Road. 
Coming into Fort Scott from the Chouteau Trad- 
ing Post, he passed a party of young people on 
horse-back. After he had passed, one of them called 

10 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

back and asked him if he was a preacher. On his 
replying in the affirmative, they said they were 
looking for someone to marry two of them. They 
all dismounted and lined up on the road and Rev. 
Rice proceeded with the ceremony. He wrote their 
marriage certificate on a leaf of his notebook and 
handed it to them. Thus were united James S. 
Brown and Martha Hobbs, in holy wedlock, on that 
lonely road in the wilds of this far western country, 
on December 13th, 1855. 

E. A. Smith, in his diary, tells of two Companies 
passing through Fort Scott on this Military Road. 

Rev. J. J.Lutz, a missionary, speaks in a report to 
the State Historical Society, of Bishop Morris, Rev. 
L. B. Stateler, Rev. T. Huribiirt and Rev. E. S. Perry 
travelling over this Road on their wa^^ to an Indian 
Mission Conference at Tahlequah, and camping 
overnight at Fort Scott, October, 1844, 

I have given this long account of this Road, be- 
cause it was the reason for Fort Scott, the "Why" 
of Fort Scott. 

The road as surveyed, started from Fort Leaven- 
worth, crossed Five Mile creek south of the Fort, 
then on south and east to the Kaw, or Kansas River, 
where it crossed into Johnson County, at what was 
called Grinter's Ferry, about where Edwardsville 
now stands. From there it run through Shawnee 
Mission south to Little Santa Fe, where it crossed 
the Santa Fe trail, the shipping point for the farther 
v^^estern country in the early forties. From there 
it run almost due south until it reached a settlement 
called West Point, on the Kansas and Missouri hne. 
Here the road made a detour around a rise of 
ground and run for about ten miles through Mis- 
souri, thence turning west into Kansas again, cross- 
ing Sugar creek, still running southwest and cross- 
ing the Marias des Cygne at Trading Post, where can 
still be seen the grading leading to the ford. From 

11 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Trading Post, passing about two miles east of Pleas- 
anton, on south around Military Mound, through Po- 
tosi, a settlement now abandoned, which stood a 
few miles east of Pleasanton to Barnesville. When 
it reached the Marmaton River it crossed at what is 
now known as Military Ford or Bridge, thence due 
south,passing east of National Cemetery, crossed 
Moore's Branch near Edwards Junction, Drywood 
Creek about one half mile east of Garland, thence 
through Crawford county, still hugging the border 
into Cherokee county, to Baxter Springs, where it 
turned southwest and on to Fort Gibson, the most 
southwestern Government Station. 

Fort Scott being located by the two Government 
Commissioners, Capt. B. D. Moore and Dr. J. R. 
Mott, a little off the surveyed line, a branch road 
was surveyed, which run from the crossing at Mil- 
itary Ford, south between the Nogle and Osbun 
farms, southwest through the Reirson farm, due 
west between the Horse Market and the condensery, 
past the Tallman place, under the hill and entered 
the Fort at First street, then the only approach to 
Buck Run. From there a little west, then north on 
Scott Avenue to Marmaton Avenue, where there 
was a great iron gate, always guarded, giving en- 
trance through the stockade to the Plaza. A little 
later they used a road running on the north side of 
the river and crossed to the fort at a ford a little 
east of the Marmaton bridge. All who have used 
this ford tell how steep and muddy were the ap- 
proaches on each side. 

It was over this route that all the lumber for the 
Government Buildings was hauled. 

When going south from the Fort, they went on 
Market street to Scott Avenue to about Third street 
where they crossed Buck Run and entered the main 
Road which leads across Dry\vood Creek and into 
Crawford County . 

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THE PLAZA 1843 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Just before the Civil War the Government made 
another survey and moved the road farther away 
from the turbulent dividing line between Kansas and 
Missouri. This later survey made it pass through 
Paola, Mound City, etc. 



PLAZA 



As we have said before, the present site of Fort 
Scott was chosen by the Government for a camp 
or cantonment for three reasons: First, because it 
was mid-way between Fort Leavenworth and Fort 
Gibson, Cherokee Nation, or Fort Coffee, Arkansas; 
second, because of the river (the Marmaton) as the 
question of water was an important item in those 
days for deciding on a location; and third, because 
of the strategic location. 

Can you not place yourself on what is now 
known as Tower Hill, and see these vast prairies as 
those men must have seen them in May 1842, a 
broad expanse of country covered with a verdure of 
most brilliant green, broken here and there, by lines 
of the darker green of the trees marking the streams 
in their flow through the lowlands; or stand with 
them on the point back of the Plaza and see, as they 
did, the fine strategic view to be had of the ap- 
proach from the north over their new Military 
Road ? Can you wonder that they decided then and 
there to pitch their tents on this beautiful spot? 

Temporary quarters were built for the garrison, 
which consisted of 120 men and Lieut. John Hamil- 
ton, who was left in charge by the commissioners, 
Capt. B. D. Moore and Dr. J. R. Mott, who had re- 
turned to St. Louis, or as some authorities state to 
Fori Leavenworth for another company of dra- 
goons to help with the construction of the canton- 
ment. After the temporary quarters, which con- 

13 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

sisted of log houses, hastily put up, were finished, 
they begun work on a saw mill and brick yard. 
These were to be used in the work of erecting per- 
manent quarters, and were located on Mill Greek, 
hence the name of this creek. These log houses, with 
the exception of one, were burned when the troops 
moved into their new quarters. A parade ground, 
or plaza, (Spanish for a square, or military parade 
ground,) was laid out, around which were to be the 
different government buildings. 

1843 saw the completion of these buildings and 
the lodgment of officers and men in comfortable 
quarters. Most of the lumber was cut in the imme- 
diate vicinity some hauled from near Fulton and 
the Trading Post by ox teams, and finished at the 
saw mill. The brick for the chimneys were made in 
their own brick yard. The stone for foundations 
and out houses was quarried on the C. Nelson farm, 
south of town. There was oak, walnut and ash in 
abundance along the Marmaton River and no dif- 
ficulty was experienced in getting all material need- 
for their new homes. In the officer's quarters, all 
but one still standing, the door and window 
frames and mantels are of walnut. Upstairs the 
doors are all battened. The frame timbers are of 
oak, 12 inches square and mortised together. The 
floors are of oak. The pillars, supporting the 
porches , are of turned walnut, bored through the 
center the entire length to prevent the surface 
cracking during the process of seasoning. These 
soldier-carpenters had few tools, as compared with 
those of today, but they certainly did first class 
work. Considering that these new houses were 
built in a far-western country, in the midst of an al- 
most interminable prairie, miles and miles from any 
other settlement, with only Indians as neighbors, 
they might be called almost palatial. 

On the west side of the Plaza, starting from the 

14 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

north, was the ordnance building. Where the lum- 
ber yard is now was a barracks for the soldiers; 
farther on, where is now a large barn, was a cavalry 
stable, 110 feet long. It eventually burned down. 
On the south side, opposite this stable, stood another 
barracks, this was later the Pro-Slavery, or Wes- 
tern Hotel. Directly south of this stood the hospi- 
tal, which, as can be seen now, was a large rectang- 
ular building surrounded on all sides by porches. 
The government, even then seemed to have the fresh 
air fad, judging from the many broad porches on 
all living quarters. On the southeast corner stood 
the guard-house, used afterwards by the city for 
many years as a calaboose. (Calaboose, from the 
Spanish, calabazo, dungeon,) On the the east side, 
starting from the north, stood the commissary 
building, then another barracks. On the north side 
stood the four officer's quarters. Within the 
Plaza opposite the hospital, was an octagonal 
brick building, the powder magazine. On the oth- 
er side Avas a deep well, their only source of drink- 
ing water, covered with a canopy, supported by 
columns. Mrs. Elizabeth Goodlander, in 1914, had 
the canopy renewed, in exact reproduction of the 
original one, as a matter of sentiment, as she and 
all the Plaza children had played about it. The 
creak of the enormous windlass and the rattle of 
the hea\y iron chain of this old well could then be 
heard at all times of the day and night. It was truly 
the "Town Pump." 

Back of the officer's quarters was a corrall for 
the horses, and on the slope of the hill was a corn 
mill, operated by horse power. Near here was the 
Government bakery, still standing. Here they bak- 
ed as many as 1500 or 2000 loaves a day, kneading 
and mixing all done by hand. 

Just off the Plaza, a short distance east of what 
is now Market Square, stood the sutler store, a two- 

15 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

room log house. The location has been marked by 
a stone marker, by the ladies of the D. A. R. On the 
inside of this building, the counter ran all around 
the four sides of the room. This was done to keep 
the Indians, who came to trade, from stealing the 
goods from the shelves. The first sutler, who came 
with the troops, was J. A. Bugg. He conducted the 
store alone, until September 1843, when H. T. 
Wilson arrived from Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation, 
and bought a partnership in the store for $5000.00. 
They continued together until 1849, when Col. Wil- 
son bought out his partner, and continued the busi- 
ness until the Post w^as abandoned as a fort. This 
store was on the direct route from the ford east of 
the Marmaton bridge, to the Plaza. 

Surrounding the Plaza was a stockade about 12 
or 14 feet high, and an iron gate led out from it on 
the northwest side, facing the sutler's store. The 
lumber of this stockade was bought by J. McClevey, 
near Fulton, for a cattle corrall. 

Around this historic Plaza lived a few hundred 
human beings, in the midst of a trackless, wind- 
swept, almost treeless, Indian-infested prairie, a 
veritable outpost of civilization. The fort was 
abandoned by the Government as a military post 
in April, 1853, and the buildings left in charge of 
an orderly-sergeant, after all the movable property, 
owned by the Government had been sold. There 
were but two families left, when the soldiers march- 
ed out, — that of H. T. Wilson, and that of Lieut. J. 
Hamilton, whose time of enlistment had expired, 
and who had concluded to remain on the scene of 
his ten years labor. They must have felt a little 
lonely, as they watched the last of the troops out of 
sight, but almost at once, eastern people began to 
come in, for Kansas was settling up with almost un- 
believable rapidity, and this being one of the direct 
routes, added that advantage to its many others. 

16 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

The Government houses were to be let to anyone 
who would care for them until arrangements could 
be made for their sale. On May 16th, 1855, the build- 
ings were all sold at auction by Major Howe, "with- 
out land." As no land was conveyed with the build- 
ings, there were few bidders and they went at a 
nominal price, the buyers trusting to making the 
land titles good, either as pre-emptions, or upon ac- 
quiring a deed when the town should be incorporat- 
ed. The land belonged to the New York Indians, 
and the Government could not give title to the land, 
or let it be pre-empted as they did not make a treaty 
with these Indians until 1860. The buildings that 
had cost $200,000.00 were sold for about $5,000.00. 

The purchasers of the officer's quarters on the 
north side of the Plaza were Mr. A. Hornbeck. who 
bought the first double house on the northwest 
corner for $500.00, Mr. Wilson the one next, for 
$300.00, E. Greenwood the next, and Mr. J. Mitchell 
the last one on the northeast corner. All the other 
buildings were sold relatively as cheap. For many 
years business all centered around the Plaza. The 
first dwelling outside of the Plaza was erected by 
Wm. Smith, on the corner of what is now Scott 
Avenue and Locust (First) Street. 

The ladies of the Molly Foster Berry Chapter of 
the D. A. R. have done a fine work in fostering a 
love for these old places, by placing markers at 
these historic sites. The locations of these markers 
follow: The Post sutler's store, the Government 
well, Hospital, Guard house. Dragoon stables, Ad- 
jutant's quarters, Commissary Department, Post 
bake-shop, Officer's quarters, soldiers' barracks 
Block-houses, Government saw mill. Fort Lincoln 
near Fulton, and at the scene of the Marmaton mas- 
sacre. Also they have had reproductions made of 
views of the old town» when any could be found. 
These are tastefully mounted on a ^^destal made 

17 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

from one of the walnut pillars from the porch of the 
officer's quarters which was torn down (more is the 
pity) to make way for a modern residence. The 
Chapter presented these photographs to the His- 
torical Society. They can, at the present time, be 
seen at the Pubhc Library. The city authorities and 
every citizen of Fort Scott should be interested in 
the preservation of these historic buildings on the 
Plaza. Mr. Ralph Richards has acquired the one 
known as the Free State Hotel, and is keeping the 
house as near in its original state as possible, after 
all these years of use. 

The name Carroll was added to Plaza, in 1860, 
when the city was platted by the town company. 
The name Carroll Plaza is very prominent on the 
original plat of the town which is now in the Othick 
Abstract Office. Why and when so named was 
somewhat of a puzzle, and everybody who seemed 
likely to know was questioned, but to no avail, un- 
til Mr. F. L. McDermott was asked about the matter. 
He said that he had always understood that the 
name "Carroll" was given to the Plaza when, as I 
said before, the City was laid out in lots, at the sug- 
gestion of Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson had always been 
a great admirer of Charles Carroll of Maryland, 
one of the signers of the Declaration of Independ- 
ence, and prominent in all patriotic movements of 
his time. He always signed his name, "Charles 
Carroll of Carrolltown." and it is so found on the 
Declaration. He died in Baltimore in 1832. 



18 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

HOTELS 

THE FORT SCOTT, OR FREE STATE HOTEL 

When the Government buildings were sold, in 
May, 1855, A. Hornbeck bought the officer's quar- 
ters on the corner of Marmaton and Blair Aves., 
for $500.00, and fitted it for a hotel. It opened 
May 30th, 1855, under the proprietorship of Thos. 
Arnett, as the Fort Scott Hotel until 1857, when the 
management was taken over by the Casey Bros. 
Later George Cravv^ford and C. Dimon took charge, 
with B. P. McDonald and C. Bull as clerks. Mr. 
Wm. F. Campbell, father of the late A. Campbell 
succeeded C. Dimon, and gave an opening bail on 
Jan. 18th, 1858. One fiddle furnished the music, 
and Joe Ray, the wag of the town, did the calling. 
Square dances were then the fashion and it needed 
someone who was expert as caller to make them 
step lively in "forward and back," "Crossover," or 
"allemande left." etc. 

Most of the Town Company and the j^oung men 
boarded there, and it thus got its sobriquet of "Free 
State" hotel, for this younger element, coming as 
the^^ did from the northern states, were Free State 
men. It was here that the Brockett episode took 
place. Brockett, who afterwards helped to plan 
the Marias des Cygnes massacre, came into the of- 
fice, drew his pistol, and picked up a chair throwing 
it at C. Dimon who was alone. Mr. Dimon called 
to some young men who were upstairs. They got 
their pistols and run to the office. Brockett told 
Geo. Crawford, who remonstrated with him, "to 
shut up, or I will shoot you." Just then Wm. Camp- 
bell came in and asked why he was insulting his 
guests. Brockett replied "You dassen't talk to me." 
Mr. Camubell replied, "God Almighty never made 
the man I dare not talk to." When Brockett saw 

19 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

that Mr. Campbell meant business, he left without 
further words. Mr. Campbell was of the men 
who made Kansas what it was, a state, unafraid. 

Malaria was so bad in 1857, that all of the twenty- 
five boarders, but nine, were "chillin' a little." 

Judge Margrave later bought the hotel for a res- 
dence, occupying it until his death, in 1904. Mrs. 
E. J. Rollins has the parlor furniture that was in the 
hotel at the time of its transfer to her father. There 
stands now, in the hall, a hat rack of walnut, that 
has been there ever since the Post days. In the 
upstairs hall are two dark closets under the roof 
that were used as cells in Post days. An offi- 
cer could not have been confined in the guard house, 
of course, and no doubt more than one has "sober- 
ed up" in these so-called cells. 

THE WESTERN, OR PRO-SLAVERY HOTEL. 

This hotel was opened by a man named McKay 
in the barracks next to the hospital. During the 
border troubles, it came to be the headquarters of 
the Pro-Slavery element, and thus acquired its 
name. 

In 1857, it was run by Sheriff Ben Hill, and while 
he was proprietor, the Marias des Cygnes massacre 
was planned in this hotel. Dr. Hamilton, Ben HiU, 
Brockett and other border ruffians took part in the 
planning, and G. W. Clark, who came in 1857 and 
was the bad genius of the town, is supposed to have 
been the instigator of the plot. 

THE WILDER HOUSE. 

This hotel, still standing at the southwest corner 
of Wall and Main sts., was built and opened by Geo. 
Dim on, in the spring of 1863. The brick was made 
in the old Post brick yard, which was where the 
Redinger farm now is. G. and C. Dimon ran the 

20 



THE WHY OP FORT SCOTT 

hotel and it was much patronized by army officers 
during the war. It was named after Garter Wilder, 
who had been a Congressman from Kansas and was 
later stationed here as Commisary. He was a great 
friend of the Dimons. One proprietor, named J. 
Darr, had a typical answer for new comers when 
they asked as they alighted from the stage, "Is this 
the Wilder House ?" "Well, you stay a few days and 
you will find it's the wildest house you was ever in." 
If anyone happened to wear a high hat when he 
came to town and stopped there it was "Good-bye. 
top hat." 

Those were somewhat "\vild and wooly" days, 
but then all did a thriving business. Their money 
went as easily as it came and often to help those 
who were stranded, far from home and alone in a 
far country. 



21 



THE WHY OP FORT SCOTT 

MODES OF TRAVEL 

Those who came to Fort Scott in an early day, 
came by different modes, but practically over the 
same route, after reaching Kansas City, — the Mili- 
tary Road. Some came on horseback, among them 
Mr. Joe Liepman; some, in their own conveyances, 
moving wagons, etc.; some on foot, — Mr. C. F. 
Drake came that way; others by stage, others still 
in hired conveyances, usually rattletrap affairs 
drawn by mules or a spavined horse. 

Two days was the usual time from Kansas City, 
with a stop-over night at some "wayside inn" or 
squatter's cabin. What woman now would think 
she could start from Lockport, Penn., on a journey 
to Kansas City, with a babe in her arms, as did Mrs. 
A. McDonald, and travel much of the way by stage ? 
Now we want Pullmans or palatial steamboats and 
then we would be afraid the baby would take cold 
or we would fail to get our morning bath. The 
writer's grandmother rode horseback, on a visit 
from Ohio to Connecticut, with a three year old 
child. 

E. L. MARBLE'S OVERLAND TRIP. 

Mr. E. L. Marble, with four others, Mr. and Mrs. 
F. Gates, Mr. J. Lowery, and his sister. Miss Sarah 
Marble, eighteen years old, started from Bristol, HI., 
in a covered wagon, drawn by an ox team, and one 
spring wagon, with two horses. On reaching 
Quincy, they found the ferry out of commission, so 
drove on down the river, until they sighted a boat 
taking people and cattle out of the flooded dis- 
trict, — the Mississippi was out of its banks. This 
boat landed them at Hannibal, the first place they 
could make a landing. Then they rode for days in 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

the mud and rain, and when they struck the Mis- 
souri River, found it bankfull and no ferry boat. 
After awhile they found two men to take 
them across on a flat-boat, not certain that they 
would ever reach the other bank. They had often 
to go roundabout ways to find a ford, only to find, 
when it was reached, that it was a dangerous cross- 
ing. They stopped at Westport for provisions, and 
then came on, stopping at Trading Post, and thus to 
Fort Scott, June 24th, 1858. Their progress had 
been from five to eighteen miles a day. 

STAGE TRAVEL. 

A stage line was establised between Fort Scott 
and Jefferson City, Mo., in 1857. It made three 
trips a week, and brought in the mail from the east. 
Mr. T. F. Robley in his "Bourbon County," says 
that the arrival and departure of the stage was a 
good deal of an event. It was over this route that 
Geo. Crawford and A. McDonald travelled on their 
return trip from Philadelphia, where they had been 
to buy machinery for their saw mill, to be built at 
the foot of Birch street., on Buck Run. 

April 14th, 1858, Squire's four-horse stage coach 
rolled into Fort Scott. It made tri-weekly trips 
from Kansas City and the townspeople felt as 
though they had been indeed put into communica- 
tion with the outside world. Twenty-four hours 
was the time for the trip; $15.00 was the price. 
They changed horses about every ten miles, and 
stopped somewhere for the night. Mr. and Mis. 
Wm. Smith and daughter, now Mrs. A. Campbell, 
and Mr. and Mrs. A. McDonald and baby came 
over this route in 1858. They were overtaken by 
a storm on the way, and sought refuge in i 
squatter's cabin. Below is Mr. C. W. Goodlander's 
account of his trip on one of Squire's stages: 

23 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

"I came from Milton, Penn.. by rail to St. Louis, 
and by boat to Kansas City. Started at 8 A. M. from 
the stage office on Main street, to 13th, cross lots to 
Grand Avenue, thence to Westport, to Shawnee 
(Merrian), on to Squiresville, (near Olathe) 
stopped there for a dinner of salt pork, 
beans, dried apples and coffee. Put up at Osawat- 
omie for the night; then on to Moneka, (a few miles 
north of Mound City.) The people there were veg- 
etarians, and the women wore bloomers. We cross- 
ed the Osage at Rayville, the Marmaton at Mihtary 
Ford, came along the river bottom ur> the Military 
Road a little east of National Avenue., and from 
there over to the Plaza. When the stage rolled up, 
all the occupants of the hotel (Free State) came out 
to welcome us. The stages brought the passengers 
and express, but all freight came by ox team. The 
latter could be seen most any time, winding over 
the Mihtary Road." 

Mr. E. A. Smith, brother of Mrs. A. Campbell, 
came overland to Fort Scott, after a trip of two 
days and three nights on a Missouri river boat. This 
boat was so crowded with people tot---- west, that 
a hundred of them slept on the cabin floor. From 
Jefferson City» he reached Kansas City, in Septem- 
ber, 1857. When stopping in St. Louis, he saw 
freight and passenger boats lined up along the 
levee for two miles. From Kansas City, he took 
the stage, a rattly affair (a bob-tailed jerky), to 
Osawatomie, passing through Squireville and Paola. 
The hotel at Osawatomie was an unsealed shanty 
with bunks arranged along one side, straw ticks and 
dirty blankets. The eating was in keeping; bacon, 
yellow soda biscuits, and coffee without sugar or 
milk. He spent the next day trying to get a convey- 
ance to Fort Scott, but was obliged to walk the dis- 
tance, with the help of a "lift" of ten miles in an 
ox wagon. He found Fort Scott a village, princi- 

24 




THE Wm. SMITH RESIDENCE BUILT 1858 




BLOCK HOUSE 1863 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

pally of Government houses, as few others had 
then been built. The Plaza was the village 

SLAVERY 

SLAVES IN BOURBON COUNTY. 

In 1857, there were about thirty slaves in the 
county, owned by families who had come in from 
Missouri and the south. In 1855. when the first 
census was taken, there were 192 in the Territory. 
As early as 1845, there were slaves in Fort Scott. 
Col. H. T. Wilson owned a number. In 1859, he 
took them to Calhoun, Mo., and liberated them at 
the same time that his brother-in-law liberated his. 
Mrs. E. Goodlander later found the mother in Kan- 
sas City, and sent her the mone3^ to come to Fort 
Scott, where she stayed with the family for six 
years. 

There is a record of 1857. in Book A, p. 5, in the 
Recorder of Deeds' office of the sale of a negro 
woman by J. M. Rucker, for $500.00. The same 
record gives the will of J. M. Hart, in which he be • 
queaths a negro woman and bo}^ George, to his 
wife. 

Rev. C. Rice, in his "Experiences of a Pioneer, 
1855," speaks of the slaves of Dr. Hill who lived in 
one of the officer's quarters on the Plaza. "He 
owned a few slaves who lived in the basement of the 
house and who seemed to be the happiest of people." 



25 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

SCHOOLS 

The first schools^ of course, were private ones; 
and all the learning acquired by the children during 
the first fifteen years of the town's existence, was 
gotten in somewhat of a haphazard manner. 

Mrs. C. W. Goodlander's first recollections of 
school is of going, slate in hand, to one taught on 
the point of the Plaza, in a log house. Mrs. C. H. 
Haynes, who came here in 1858, opened a school 
in an upstairs room in the Calkins building on Big- 
ler street, near the junction of Weir (Wall) "street. 
Ready money was scarce in those early times and 
she often took her pay in commodities — potatoes, 
butter, eggs, etc. The most unique pay was a pig, 
and truly thankful was she to get it, for it helped 
out mightily the winter's supply of meat. 

In 1855 the Territorial legislature passed a law, 
under which District or County Schools could be 
organized. The first district organized in Bourbon 
County was District No. 10, Mapleton, Dec. 10, 1859. 

C. F. Drake, who came here in 1858, immediately 
made himself active in all town affairs, was on the 
school board and succeeded in getting the county 
to fit up four rooms in the Post Hospital building 
for school. A Mr. Nelson, as far as the writer has 
been able to learn, was the first teacher of this 
District school. He was followed by Miss Nancy 
Custer. The hospital building continued to be used 
for the school until the w^ar came, w^hen it was re- 
quisitioned by the Government for its original 
purpose. 

After the war it was again used for the schools 
and so continued until the Central School was built. 
During the war there were no rooms in town avail- 
able for school purpose, the Government using all 

26 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

spare rooms and buildings for its different activi- 
ties. 

Mrs. Jane Smith and thirty other ladies went be- 
fore the council with a petition for the erection of a 
school house in 1863, but after a committee canvass- 
ed the matter, they decided that the schools were 
not within their jurisdiction so were obliged to 
deny their request. 

A number of the older girls were sent away to 
"Boardinrf School," in the absence of other means 
of education. Mrs. C. W. Goodlander, Mrs. Albert 
Campbell and Miss Fannie Johnson w^ere among 
those who went away. "Baker" then in its infancy, 
was the most patronized. Mrs. Campbell at one 
time started to Baker by way of Kansas City. On 
her arrival there she met a young girl on her way 
to Oxford (near Cincinnati). Deciding that she 
would rather go to Oxford with company than to 
Baker without, she joined the young girl. They 
went by boat to St. Joseph and from there by rail 
to Cincinnati. As the trains did not run at night or 
on Sundays their journey took some days. There 
being no telegraph in this far western country she 
was unable to communicate with her parents on her 
departure from Kansas City and a letter bore to 
them the astonishing information that she was in 
Ohio instead of Kansas. 

Of course there was no coming home between 
the opening and closing of school owing to the diffi- 
culties of travel. 

In 1865 Bev. Austin Warner was elected County 
Superintendent of School and began at once their 
reorganization. He asked for Bev. Irwin, of Fort 
Wayne, Ind., to come out and take charge of the 
schools and fill the pulpit of the Presbyterian 
Church on Sunday, neither alone paying a living 
salary. 

In 1866 Bev. J. M. Kendricks, of the Episcopal 

27 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Church opened a Seminary in what is now the 
Chas. Penniman home, built for that purpose by 
Mrs. L. L. Dry. Faihng of support this school did 
not last long. 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

The first Pubhc School Board was organized 
May 4th, 1868. A. R. AUlson, president; W. H. 
Dory, vice president; J. M. Kendricks and R. S. 
Stewart members. According to the minutes of the 
meeting, A. F. Cravens was appointed principal at 
a salary of $1,200.00 per year; assistant principal, 
Miss Bissell, $75.00 per month; Miss Scofield, $60.00 
and Miss Royce, primary department, $65.00. Miss 
Bissell and Miss Royce boarded with the Margrave 
family on the Plaza. 

The city schools when organized September 1868, 
were held in the Post Hospital building. The East 
Side school in a small stone building which stood 
where the Margrave school now stands. The Hos- 
pital building continued to be so used until the Cen- 
tral school was built and opened. 

The Central School building was dedicated and 
opened September 1871, and served for all the 
schools on the West Side. The East Side schools 
continued in the original building until the Mar- 
grave was built. 

At that time the school population was 520; in 
1860 it was 300. 

Miss Sarah Bates holds the record for the longest 
continuous teaching — forty-one years — 1869-1910. 

Mrs. Luke Havens, still a resident of the city, 
taught in that little stone building on the East Side. 
Mrs. Havens was followed by Miss Detwiler, later 
Mrs. Wm. Dilworth. Miss Sarah Bates and Miss 
Ellwood also taught there after Mrs. Havens had 
been transferred to the Hospital building. 

28 



THE WHY OP FORT SCOTT 

Mrs. Havens tells of a little incident typical of 
school life. Henry Drum was somewhat mischiev- 
ous, and one day, thinking to punish him, she ask- 
ed him if he would like her to put him next to 
Emma Tallman for the rest of the afternoon. His 
face broke into a thousand smiles as he replied, 
"Yes Ma'am." Had Mrs. Havens been a man, she 
would never have suggested such a move, knowing 
from experience the fallacy of that mode of punish- 
ment. Sitting next to a pretty girl never has been 
and never will be much of a punishment for a lively 
boy. 

The Tallman, Caldwell, Couch, Drum and An- 
drick children all "went" to Mrs. Havens. 

The first colored school was opened under the 
auspices of the "Freedman's Home Mission," and 
was held in a house which stood near where the 
Knox House now stands. When the City Schools 
were organized in 1868, one was opened for the col- 
ored children on the Plaza. The first teacher was 
Mr. Woodbury, employed at a salary of $50.00 per 
month. 



29 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

BURIAL GROUNDS 

The earliest burial ground was established by the 
Military Post and was used by both Post and civil- 
ians until 1862. This was located at about the 
junction of Lowman and Wall streets* and was the 
largest in the state, except the one at Fort Leaven- 
worth. 

In 1862, September 30th, the Presbyterian Church 
bought from John G. Stuart, a plot of ground 
southeast of town and this was used for all burials 
until 1867, when it was bought by the Government 
for a National Cemetery. The Government paid 
$300.00, added an equal amount of land, and began 
improvements. The bodies buried there were to re- 
main if the friends so wished. The name of Jones 
Street was then changed to National Avenue. 

There is now in the National Cemete^-v the grave 
of an ordnance sergeant, who died here, v/hile this 
was yet a Post. He was first buried in the old burial 
ground, but the body, with its stone marker, was re- 
moved to the new cemetery. This stone is like those 
now used in all National Cemeteries, and reads, 
"David Reed, Sergt." The record at Washington, 
D. C gives the information that "he died, Jan. 30lh, 
1852, in Fort Scott, Missouri.'* It must be a comfort 
to his relatives, if there are any now living, to know 
that he rests in so fitting a place for a soldier who 
gave his life in this far frontier country. 

Mrs. Albert Campbell, of this city, while visiting 
in Eureka Springs, in 1904, met a gentleman from 
Fort Smith, who had been stationed at Fort Scott, 
at the same time that Sergt. Reed was. When pass- 
ing through Fort Scott years afterward, 1902, he 
stopped off and took flowers out to the National 
Cemetery and laid them on the Sergeant's grave. 
Truly a beautiful tribute to their youthful comrade- 
ship. 

30 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

BOURBON COUNTY 

The County was organized in 1855, under an act 
of the "Bogus" Legislature, and. at the sohcitation 
of S. A. Williams and Wm. Barbee, was named after 
Bourbon County, Kentucky. Not until 1867 was 
an act passed, defining the boundaries, which act 
cut the county to 25 square miles, containing 
607.680 acres. 

H. T. Wilson and C. B. Wingfield were appointed 
County Commissioners and B. T. HiU, Sheriff, in 
August, 1855. September 17th, J. J. Fareley was ap- 
pointed County Clerk, Thomas Watkin, Justice of 
the Peace, (in addition to Wm. Margrave, appointed 
in 1854, by Gov. Reeder) J. F. Cottrell, Constable, 
and A. Hornbeck, County Treasurer. In November, 
the Commissioners divided the county into .town- 
ships, five in number. Fort Scott was named as the 
County seat, and so remained until January, 1858, 
when, on account of border troubles, it was moved 
to Marmaton. by special act of the legislature. On 
May 11th. 1863, an election was held to vote on the 
permanent location, under a law, (introduced by C. 
F. Drake) allowing the calling of an election on pe- 
tition of the County Court. Fort Scott received 700 
votes; Centerville, 279; Mapleton, 14; and Fort Lin- 
coln, 1. At the last meeting of the County Commis- 
sioners at Marmaton, Fort Scott was formally 
named as the county seat and the records brought 
back, placed in the new court house ,or, as it was 
then called, the City Hall. 

From 1855 to 1858, the county was governed by 
a Probate Judge, and two Commissioners. That 
was called the County Court. In 1858 a body of five 
supervisors succeeded the County Court, one from 
each township. In 1860, the form of government 
was changed again, to three commissioners. The 
first county election was held in 1856. 

81 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

In 1863. the city built the City Hall, corner of 
Jones and Locust streets. (National Avenue and Sec- 
ond street) and after the May elections, offered the 
lower floor to the county for offices, and the upper 
room for a court room. The contract for this 
building was for a cost of $4,900.00, and C. W. 
Goodlander and A. R. Allison were the builders. 
On December 14th, 1863, the County Commission- 
ers w^ere notified by the City Marshall that it was 
ready for occupancy. 

When court was not in session, the upper floor 
was used for religious, political, social and many 
other purposes, as the old army hospital w^here such 
meetings had been held, was falling into disuse. 



POST OFFICE 



J. A. Bugg, the first sutler was also tlie first post 
post master ,and when H. T. Wilson bought Mr. 
Bugg out, he succeeded him as post master, Feb. 
26, 1849, and so continued till 1856. Mrs. E. Good- 
lander has now in the Historical Rooms the letter 
boxes used in this first post office. After this the 
mail was kept in various buildings, the hospital 
building, the Land Office and others. 

Until Kansas was erected into a Territory in 1854, 
all letters were addressed to Fort Scott, via Bates 
Co., Missouri, and were sent to BaUtown, Mo. Dur- 
ing the Post days» an orderly was sent on horseback 
for the Post mail. After the Post was abandoned 
as a fort, a regular mailman was sent, until the stage 
routes were established, though some of the routes 
were still traversed on horse back. One time, on 
his return, the carrier found the Marmaton River 
bankfull. J. G. Stuart swam his mule across, and 
carried the mail pouch back on his head to keep it 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

dry. The early mail routes out of Fort Scott were: 
Westport, Sarcoxie, Mo.; Baxter Springs, Osage 
Mission and Jefferson City. 

In 1858. the office was in the Post barracks which 
stood where the Grant lumber yard now stands. It 
was moved to the hall in the Free State Hotel. In 
1859, it was moved again to the first story of the 
Town Company's building, on Bigler street, near 
Wier street. Mr. Goodlander fixed up this office 
for the Government, at $3.00 per day, carrying the 
lumber, himself, from the saw mill at the foot of 
Locust street. The boxes were made of walnut. In 
making a batten door for the room, he used six 
kinds of wood. He says he felt mighty proud of 
that thirty dollars thus earned, the largest "bunch" 
of money he had held since his arrival in Fort Scott. 

While the post office was yet in the hotel, Wm. 
Gallegher was post master, as well as hotel clerk. 
He introduced the city delivery of mail — took it 
around in his hat, and handed out the letters as he 
met the persons to whom they were addressed. 

In 1858, J. Caldwell came to Fort Scott and suc- 
ceeded C. B. Wingfield as mail carrier over the five 
mail routes. These routes were: 1. Osage; 2. West- 
Point, Mo.; 3. Crawford Seminary (Presbyterian 
Indian School); 4. Mapleton; 5. Marmaton. His 
son, T. A. Caldwell, now of this city, was allowed to 
carry one of the routes. 

At one time, during the war, the delivery of mail 
between Fort Scott and Kansas City became so ir- 
regular on account of raids from the border, that 
an appeal was made to Washington by the settlers, 
and in reply, the Government established camps of 
cavalry along the Military Road, after which, the 
mail was carried by relays from Kansas City to 
Fort Scott. Two well mounted men rode their al- 
lotted ten miles, delivered the mail to the waiting re- 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

lay and so on, covering the route ever^^ twenty- 
four hours. The relay stations were Westport, Lit- 
tle Santa Fe, Aubray, Coldwater Grove, Sugar 
Creek, Trading Post, Fort Lincoln and Fort Scott. 

Fort Scott was the second post office established 
in Kansas. That at Leavenworth was opened May* 
1828. 

POST MASTER APPOINTMENTS 

J. A. Bugg - . - - March 3, 1843. 

H. T. Wilson - - - February 26, 1849 

J. J. Fareley - - - January 28, 1856 

W. Patterson - - - August 2, 1856 

F. H. Casey - - - July 18, 1857 

Wm. Gallegher - - - - August 20, 1857 

D. Manlove - - - May 23, 1861 

S. A. Manlove - - . - January 20, 1861 



34 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

BORDER TROUBLES 

1856. 

The year 1856 was one long to be remembered by 
Kansas, for then began In earnest the "Border 
Troubles" which were to prove the mettle of those 
sturdy pioneers, most of whom had come to make it 
a free state, untrammeled by slavery. They came, 
primed for their work, proved their mettle, and 
well deserved the motto of their state seal. 

This same controversy between the two parties 
had raged in Congress since 1819, when Maine and 
Missouri had appealed for admission to the Union. 
The southern congressmen refused the admittance 
of Maine as a free state, unless Missouri should be 
admitted as a slave state, for up to this time the 
free and slave states had been equal in number. So 
came about the Missouri Compromise, which ad- 
mitted Missouri as a slave state but prohibited, ever 
after, slavery north of the southern line of Missouri, 
namel^^ 36 degrees and 30 minutes north latitude. 
Kansas was north of this line and as early as 1852 
appealed to Congress for admittance, but the ap- 
peals were in vain, until the Kansas-Nebraska Bill 
WHS passed. This bill nullified the Missouri Com- 
promise and left the decision of free or slave, to the 
people of the Territory. 

So began the struggle between the Free State and 
the Pro-Slavery parties. Immigrants from both 
north and south began coming in, but the trouble 
was not caused so much by clashes between the set- 
tlers of the two parties, as by the many raids from 
Missouri, sent in by the rougher element of the 
south. Most of the settlers were conservative* in 
both parties, and only when attacked, showed any 
fight; but when this rough border element, compos- 

35 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

ed mostly of the scum of the southern states, began 
coming in, it was a fight to the finish. Fort Scott 
being close to the Missouri line was made head- 
quarters and a rendevous for the leaders of these 
"Border Ruffians." 



1856. 



The first trouble in town was when G. W. Jones, 
under orders from Major Buford, (commander of 
about 300 men, who had constituted himself super- 
visor, so to speak, of the border) made Fort Scott 
his headquarters, and sent his lieutenants to every 
settler in the country, to find out whether they were 
Free State or Pro-Slavery sympathizers. Every 
Free State man was given orders, in July, to leave 
the state. Their claims were given to the Pro-Sla- 
very men and the cabins of those who refused to go 
were burned, their cattle driven off, and themselves 
brought to headquarters and advised to move on 
further north. Let me say, now, that the object of 
this raiding was to rid the territory of as many as 
possible of the Free State men and thus increase 
the voting chances of the Pro-Slavery party at the 
polls, for as before stated, Kansas Territory was to 
vote herself into the Union, either free, or slave. 

The next trouble was a squad of men, calling 
themselves "Texas Rangers," making Fort Scott 
their headquarters. They were well mounted, well 
armed and came in with a great flourish. Here 
they gathered a few Jones' men, a few adherents 
from the town, and started north to Osawatomie to 
round up John Brown. They were led by G. W. 
Jones, Wm. Brown and Jesse Davis. They met at 
Middle Creek, a body of Free State men of about the 
same number under command of Captains Ander- 
son and Shore, and on August 25th were turned 

36 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

back after a light skirmish. As they gathered their 
belongings in Fort Scott on their march back to 
Texas they told wonderful tales of the number of 
Free State men who were on their trail, threaten- 
ing to bum the town, that the inhabitants were bad- 
ly frightened and prepared for flight. But as no 
troops appeared, they soon settled down to business 
again. This is the expedition that Kline, editor of 
the "Southern Kansas," joined, and mth which he 
went to his death. In this year, election for mem- 
bers of the Territorial Legislature took place, and 
two Pro-Slavery men were elected. So many of the 
Free State settlers had been driven out of the coun- 
tr>% the Pro-Slavery party was much in the major- 
ity. 

1857. 

At this time immigration began to increase, most 
of them, Free State men; and these, ^vith the re- 
turning men, w^ho had been driven from their 
claims the year before, made that party much 
stronger in the county. These returned men de- 
manded their claims and many clashes took place, 
for instance, Wm. Stone demanded the return of 
his claim from a man named Southwood, to v/hom 
it had been given by G. W. Jones, and who refused 
to vacate. Stone built a cabin for himself near by, 
and moved his family into it. Of course, the fami- 
nes quarrelled continually, and Stone again ordered 
Southwood to leave. Southwood gathered a num- 
ber of his sympathizers for resistance, but when he 
saw the strength of the other party, decided to re- 
turn to a more congenial clime, and for once there 
was no blood shed. 

At this time was organized the Wide Awakes to 
counteract the Dark Lantern lodge of the Slavery 

37 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Party. Leaders in the Wide Awakes were J. C. Bar- 
nett, B. Bice and others. 

They, the Wide Awakes, at once notified the 
squatters who had driven out the Free State set- 
tlers that they must vacate the land wrongly appro- 
priated by them. The Southwood-Stone affair was 
an example of this. 

Trouble still brewed, and it was decided to try to 
settle the disputes by law, and take the cases to the 
U. S. District Court, that was held in the Land Of- 
fice on Bigler street. Judge J. Williams presided, 
S. A. Williams was clerk of the court, and J. H. 
Little was Deputy Marshall. Judge Williams being 
a strong Pro-Slavery man» the Free State men lost 
most of their cases, his decisions being mostly in 
favor of his owti party. Then the Free State men 
organized a Squatter's Court. This court composed 
of Judge, Sheriff and other officers, was convened 
as a protest against Judge Williams' proslavery de- 
cisions. It held its first session at Bain's Fort, a 
short distance from Fulton. Dr. Bufus Gilpat- 
rick, of Anderson county, was judge. Their decis- 
ions were as prejudiced on the side of the Free 
State men as Judge Williams' were for the Pro-Sla- 
very side. 

Of course Judge Williams did not recognize this 
court and ordered Marshall Little to arrest the Judge 
and officers. When Little arrived at the scene of 
the Court, Judge Gilpatrick sent out a flag of truce, 
but Marshall Little, irritable and tired from his 
forced march from Fort Scott replied: "If you 
don't surrender at once, I will blow you to hell." A 
skirmish took place and when Little found that four 
of his men were wounded, thought discretion the 
better part of valor and retreated to Fort 
Scott. When he returned with reinforcements he 
found, after cautious investigation, that the Court 

38 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

had adjourned during the night, had gone to the 
Baptist Church at Danford's Mill. Marshall Little 
concluded not to follow them into such a Free 
State stronghold, disbanded his men and returned 
to Fort Scott. 

Later the Court returned to Bain's Fort, but soon 
abandoned the undertaking of meting out justice 
and returned to their homes. 

One of Marshall Little's posse, J. Rhoades* met, on 
his way home, a Free State man, named Weaver. 
Being well loaded with whiskey, proceeded to fire 
upon Weaver, but Weaver got his gun away from 
him and killed Rhoades. More killings took place, 
and after a man by the name of Hedrick was shot 
down at his own door, a Mr. Hopkins and a neigh- 
bor, Mr. Denison, started out to organize a Protec- 
tive society, "The Self Protective Society." Squire 
Jewell was made chairman and James Montgomery 
leader. This was Montgomery's first participation 
in the troubles in this section. This Society was 
pledged to protect all good citizens in their property 
rights, irrespective of their politics. The troubles 
now became so frequent this society failed of its 
purpose, so at a mass-meeting, it was decided to ap- 
peal to the Governor for troops to quell uprisings. 
The 1st U. S. Cavalry was sent to Fort Scott, but was 
soon \^dthdrawn, and again the border ruffians be- 
gan their raids. Montgomery and the Protective 
Society were sent for, but the raiders w^ere always 
too swift for them and disappeared. Again a com- 
mittee, called the Vigilance Committee, was formed 
of the conservative men of both parties (H. T. Wil- 
son, B. Little, T. B. Arnett, G. A. Crawford and J. W. 
Head), to petition the Governor for troops. In 
December. Companies E and F, U. S. Cavalry were 
sent, under Capt. Sturgis. This was the second time 
U .S. troops came to Fort Scott. They stayed only a 
short time and were recalled as before. 

39 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 
1858. 

On the abandonment of the town by the troops, 
trouble began again. They raided Johnson's claim, 
and some of his stock was taken. Johnson appeal- 
ed to Montgomery, and again he was too late, but 
Judge Williams and G. W. Crawford invited Mont- 
gomery and his Society to breakfast at the Free 
State Hotel, and did him other courtesies. It w^as 
just after this that the trouble at this Hotel took 
place between W. T. Campbell. C. Dimon and the 
man named Brockett. During all this time J. Mont- 
gomery was active as a leader in this part of the 
state, and did much for the advancement of the state 
towards its goal. 

J. Montgomery was from Ohio and settled in 
Linn County, 1854. He became a leader in the Free 
State party in this section and was one of the or- 
ganizers of the Self Protective Society, formed to 
protect the rights of the Anti-Slavery settlers in 
this section. At times he became so active in his 
enthusiasm for the cause, he had to be curbed in 
some of his undertakings. 

In June, Gov. Denver, during his trip along the 
border, came to Fort Scott to try to concihate the 
opposing elements. He made a speech on the Plaza. 
To show how hot the feeling was then, the Gover- 
nor had hardly finished speaking when E. Ransom, 
Receiver of the Land Office, made a fiei7 Pro-Slav- 
ery speech to which Judge Wright replied, when 
the Governor stepped between them and repri- 
manded Ranson. 

Gov. Denver prevailed on all the County officers 
to resign, and the citizens held an election, right 
there. They placed their candidates on one side of 
the Plaza, and at Gov. Denver's signal, the citizens 
marched to where their candidates stood, after 

40 



THE V;HY of port SCOTT 

which they were counted. The officers elected were 
given certificates and their commissions were sent 
later from Lecompton. The Peace Protocol issued 
by Governor Denver was: 

Witlidrawal of troops from Fort Scott. 

Election of officers of Bourbon County, without 
reference to party. 

Troops to be stationed along the state line. 

Suspension of the execution of old writs until 
their legality be authenticated by proper tribunal. 

Montgomery and all other bodies to abandon the 
field. 

Later, in November of this year, 1858, Ben Rice 
was arrested on an indictment found by a grand 
jury, partly of Free State men, for crimes commit- 
ted before the amnesty. It was claimed by some that 
this was a rupture of the fourth clause of this treaty, 
and a revival of the executions of the old writs 
would fall mainly on the Free State men who had 
committed offenses of a political nature, for most 
of the Pro-Slavery men had left the Territory and 
could not be prosecuted. Montgomery so viewed 
the arrest of Rice. The other party said he had been 
indicted by a legally "authenticated" grand jury. 
Feeling ran high. In December, a party, organized 
under the leadership of John Brown, Montgomery, 
and Jennison of about 70 men, and a small cannon, 
(which they called "Betsy", and which is now in the 
possession of the State Historical Society,) came to 
Fort Scott, to rescue Rice. 

On the way, a council was held and John Brown, 
as the oldest, wanted to lead. He planned to kill 
all who resisted, and to burn the town, but they fi- 
nally chose Montgomcr>% who adhering to his policy 
of "no killing and no burning" said not a house 
should be burned, or a man killed. John Brown re- 
fused to come further, if he could not command the 
expedition, and remained at Wimsett. When the 

41 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

band came into town, they halted at the house of 
J. N. Roach. (Fort Roach) , corner of National ave- 
nue and First street, formed into three squads, 
and marched to the Free State Hotel, where Rice 
was held. One squad went to the rear, the second 
to the left side of the hotel, and the third marched 
up the front steps and on to the third story, where 
they released Rice. He was incarcerated in one of 
the so-called cells (closets) opening off the upper 
hall. George Crawford and John Little who were 
sleeping in the Little and Sons store, the old ord- 
nance building, across the way, heard the noise. 
Little, seeing an armed force of men, fired through 
the front door of the store. One of the rescuing 
tarty fired back- Little then went to the side door 
and stood on a box to look through the transom. 
Tlie glass was dusty, and he took out his handker- 
chief to wipe off the dust, and Capt. Whipple, see- 
ing the moving object, fired, striking Little in the 
forehead. He died in a few minutes. J. Little was 
the first U. S. Marshall. 

This Capt. Whipple, (real name A. D. Stevens), 
also Hazlett (who received the duck-shot from 
Little's gun) and Kagi, later joined John Brown's 
raiders, and with him, were hung at Harper's Ferry. 
During the tumult, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson came out 
on their porch. They were ordered to come down to 
the sidewalk. A. McDonald came to his door, and 
was ordered to surrender, but he shut the door in 
Jennison's face. Montgomery, realizing Mrs. 
Wilson as being related to Dr- Hogan, who had at 
one time befriended him, released her and the Col- 
onel, promising not to molest the Colonel's store» 
but asking them to give some of the men their 
breakfast. However, they all left before breakfast 
time. It was the shot fired by John Little that pre- 
cipitated the trouble. He thought it was a band of 

42 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Jayhawk raiders. He was a strong Pro-Slavery 
man, but had little to do with politics and his death 
was regretted by everyone. 

1859 

Trouble continued and the Governor, having no 
troops to send, advised the citizens to organize a 
troop of mihtia. FoUovnng his advice, the citizens 
began forming these companies. J. Hamilton, a 
sergeant of the old fort days, was made Captain of 
one company and A. McDonald of a second com- 
pany. J. Hamilton drilled the companies and soon 
brought them into military shape. Each man 
brought his own arms. A conglomeration of flint- 
locks, rifles, shot guns, carbines and pistols. It 
must have amused Capt. Hamilton, the old regular 
army officer. 

They were finally divided into three companies. 
J. Hamilton, A. McDonald and A. Campbell, Cap- 
tains. 

The Militia's first activity, after they had been 
"re-armed" with Government smooth-bore rifles 
sent from Fort Leavenworth, started out after the 
Jayhawkers, Feb. 4th, at 12 M. Captain Hamil- 
ton's company reached the Little Osage at dawn 
and began the search of the vicinity. They captured 
about twelve prisoners and returned with them on 
the seventh. They were ordered to bring these 
prisoners to Lawrence that they might have a 
fairer trial than could be had in the southeastern 
section where matters were at the boiling point. 

The Amnesty Act in the meantime had been pass- 
ed so they released their prisoners. The result of 
this visit of the Militia served to convince Lawrence 
people that Fort Scott was not entirely inhabited 
by Border Ruffians and also showed the Fort Scott 

43 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

people that Lawrence was not composed entirely 
of thieves and Jayhawkers. This Amnesty Act re- 
leased any person then on trial for political of- 
fenses in Linn, Bourbon, McGee, Allen and 
Anderson counties. 

During this year Fort Scott, as well as the county, 
received a good increase in its population, all of 
them of the best type of citizens. 

Dayton, Xenia, Uniontown, Rockford and Gate 
sprang into existence during this 3^ear. 

In July of this year, W- Smith and his son» E. A. 
Smith undertook the editing of the "Fort Scott Dem- 
ocrat" which had been suspended. 

At this time there were in Fort Scott, seven law- 
3^er3, four doctors, and five merchants. 

In September the Episcopal and Presbyterian 
Churches were organized. Times heretofore had 
been too unsettled and the town was too full of the 
Border Faiffian element for the citizens to think of 
making any permament organizations of any kind. 

1860 

Trouble continued but mostly between the rough- 
er element of both parties. Troops were asked for 
and the Governor sent Gen. Harney and 180 men 
to protect the inhabitants, for both elements were 
grovving license loving instead of liberty loving. 
Public opinion, too, was fast crystahzing against 
vigilant committees, protective societies and all 
other elements who wished to take the law into 
their o^\^l hands. The eastern border of the state 
was becoming more stable so the necessity for these 
organizations was fast disappearing and they felt 
that the few disturbances could be dealt with by le- 
gal authorities. 

So ended the four long years of Kansas Border 
Troubles. 

44 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

On February 26th of this year the legislature 
passed an act incorporating the town, the former 
incorporation being made by the bogus legislature 
was illegal, an entirely new company was formed 
under the Februaiy Act. The members of this per- 
manent company were: George Crawford, Presi- 
dent; W. R. Judson, J. Williams, F. S. Lowman, H. 
S. Wilson, N. Eddy, and T. R. Blackburn. These 
names are perpetuated in the names of some of our 
streets. 

The first city election was held in this year. The 
officers elected were: W. R. Judson, Mayor; (J. 
Ray served in his stead) W. T. Wilson, C. W. Blair, 
J. S. Redfield and G. Crawford, councilmen; Wm. 
Gallegher, Clerk; Wm. Margrave, Recorder; R. 
Philhps, marshal; J. S. Caulkins, assessor; A. Mc- 
Donald, treasurer and A. R. Allison, street commis- 
sioner. 

As before remarked, the inhabitants of Fort Scott 
had a breathing spell and consequently some time 
for civic matters. Mr. W. Gallegher took the census 
of Bourbon County and there were 6,102 inhabi- 
tants. One thousand, two hundred, were farmers. 

All forward movements were much handicapped 
by the drought, which had started in the fall of 
1859 and continued until September of this year. 
With the thermometer 114 in the shade and every 
growing thing scorched and burned, water almost 
impossilDle to get. (25 cents a bucket and half of 
that mud) . Most people stayed within doors and put 
what little energy they had to the business of keep- 
ing alive. 

October brought rain and they began to prepare 
for the winter as best they could. It was a misera- 
ble, dreary, suffering, starving winter, filled with 
rumblings of the coming struggle between the 
North and the South. But the people came out of 

45 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

it with hearts and hands ready for the coming con- 
flict. There were no slackers in Kansas then. 



NEWSPAPERS 



In the summer of 1856, a printing press was 
brought from Boonville, by a man named KUne. 
He started a newspaper and called it "The Southern 
Kansan." Only two numbers were issued, when he 
joined a Pro-Slavery party accompanied them to 
Osawatomie, was wounded in a skirmish, and died 
there. 

In January, 1858, E. Jones resurrected the press, 
(it had been stored in Arnett's blacksmith shop,) 
moved it to the south upstairs room in the Town 
Company's building on Bigler street. Joseph Wil- 
liams and Chas. Bull undertook the job of sorting 
the pi, ready for the first issue of the "Fort Scott 
Democrat," Jan. 27, 1858. E. Jones continued the 
publication until July, 1859, when, for the want of 
financial aid, it went out of existence. Mr. Jones 
was the first man from a free state to come to Fort 
Scott. 

The Town Company, owning the material, desired 
to continue the paper, and persuaded Wm. Smith 
and his son, Edward, to take over the publication, 
which they did, bringing out their first edition, 
July 14, 1859, and continued until the summer of 
1861. In that year, the paper came out with this 
announcement: "Hereafter, party politics will be 
dropped, and it will support, loyally the Adminis- 
tration at Washington." 

E. A. Smith, the son, joined the Frontier Guard 
and during his absence but one copy was issued, 
under the editorship of Mr. Reynolds. On his re- 
turn from Wyandotte, where the Guard went to be 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

mustered out, and where they mustered themselves 
out, (some difficulty in the organization occurring) 
Mr. Smith changed the name of the paper to "The 
Western Volunteer," and later to "Fort Scott Bul- 
letin." During Mr. Smith's editorship, Mr. Porter 
Coston was apprenticed to him for three years. The 
first year, for his board and clothing; the second, 
the same plus $50.00; the third year, another $50.00 
was added. There being no schools, his father 
thought this the next best way to obtain an educa- 
tion. 

Levi Babb, now of Pleasanton, when a boy of 
thirteen, carried the Plaza route for the Monitor in 
1863. 

During the summer of 1862, the paper was 
bought by C. B. Hayward. 

The "Monitor" was first published at Marmiton, 
(then so spelled) by D. B. Emmert, in January, 

1862. The heading of the fifteenth number reads: 

Bourbon County Monitor 

Marmiton, Kansas Saturday, November 15th, 1862. 

Issued every Saturday morning. 

D. B. Emmert, Publisher and Proprietor 

Terms of Subscription 

One copy, one year, $1.50 

Sometime between June 20th and August 6th, 

1863, Mr. Emmert moved his press to Fort Scott, 
bought out the "Fort Scott Bulletin," pubhshed 
then by C. B. Hayward, successor to E. A. Smith, 
consolidated the two papers, under their joint edi- 
torship, and called it "The Daily Union Monitor." 
Below is the heading of their first issue: 

47 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Fort Scott Union Monitor. 

Fort Scott, Kansas. August 6th, 1863. 

The Union Monitor 

Published every Thursday morning 

By Emmert and Hayward 

Office, Bigler St., North Side. 

The first page of this Monitor was given over to 
advertisements and so continued for more than 
a year. 

BUSINESS 1858-59 

There were only three merchants at this time: H. 
T. Wilson, in the old post sutler store. He built a 
store, September, 1859, on Bigler street, and open- 
ed under the firm name of Wilson, Gordon and 
Ray. Blake and Little, a general merchandise 
store, in the Post ordnance building across from the 
Free State Hotel. Dr. A. M. Bills, in a building of 
his own on Bigler street. G. W. Goodlander was 
the contractor for this building, and took his pay 
in lumber, to build on his claim, and trees, to set 
out there. B. Riggins built a store on corner of 
Lincoln Avenue and Bigler street. Mr. Goodland- 
er says the profit from this building, for which he 
was the contractor, started him in business and he 
was able to put up a shop for himself on Scott Ave., 
near where the Elks' Club now stands. 

In 1858, the doctors were: A. G. Osbun, J. H. 
Couch and A. M. Bills. .1. S. Redfield, B. F. Hepler 
and J. G. Miller came in 1859. 

The lawyers, in 1858, were: C. P. Bullock, J. S. 

48 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Symms, L. A. McCord and Wm. Margrave; in 1859 
C. W. Blair, R. Stadden and M. and W. Williams. 

The Masonic Lodge was in existence but had only 
a few members. No meetings were held during 
the war. 

The first barber shop was run by J. Slavens, the 
first free negro to come here. Mr. Goodlander 
made a barber's chair for him. 

The first drug store was opened by D. Andiick 
on the west side of Williams (Main) St., near Big- 
ler St., in a building put up by Dr. Osbun. 

C. F. Drake opened the first stove and tin store 
on what is now Wall street. It was on the bluff, 
the last on the street. W. Dorey's blacksmith shop 
was just west of the Drake shop. 

The Town Company's office, in 1858, was in the 
Post barrack, which stood w^here the Grant lum- 
ber yard now is. In 1859, they put up a building 
of their own on Bigler street. 

The Hospital building was bought by a company 
and fitted up for various purposes, church, school, 
public meetings, entertainments and offices. 

J. G. Stuart had a blacksmith shop on the Plaza. 
Later he built a wagon shop, of walnut lumber, cut 
on his claim, (near Stuart's dam.) 

J. S. Calkins put up a frame building on Bigler 
street, near Weir. 

Crowell Bros, had a brick kiln on north side of the 
Marmaton. 

B. P. McDonald and A. Campbell put up a one- 
story frame building, where the Berner block now 
stands. Wm. Smith lived there until his own 
home was finished. They were to build it them- 
selves, and C. W. Goodlander was to "boss" the job, 
but as they were both afraid to climb a ladder, Mr. 
Goodlander had to do most of the building. 

The Indians still came to Fort Scott to fi-ade, es- 
pecially the Osages. They sold ponies, robes, etc., 

49 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

at SO many buttons, each button representing a 
dollar. Then they would buy the goods they want- 
ed, a dollar at a time till they had traded out all 
their buttons. The women would then pack the 
ponies and get things in shape to go back home, 
while the young bucks sat around, on the banks of 
the Marmaton, gambling and consuming fire 
water. 

BUILDING OUTSIDE PLAZA 

1858-59. 

By this time the arrivals had become so fre- 
quent, that the Plaza became crowded, and the bus- 
iness men began to erect buildings on Bigler street. 
Thus in the year 1858, the growth of this small vil- 
lage became very noticeable. 

The first building to be erected, was, as in most 
small western towns, a saloon, by W. Linn; but later 
bought by I. Stadden, for a grocery store. The 
store faced Lincoln Avenue, opposite the Guard 
house. 

J. S. Calking put up a frame building on Bigler 
street, east of Lincoln Avenue. The Town Company 
put up a frame two-story structure near where the 
Bamberger Clothing store now is. The "Fort Scott 
Democrat" occupied one of the second story rooms, 
the U. S. Court another, the Land Office another, 
and Post office, one on the ground floor. About 
where the Penniman store now stands Dr. B. Bills 
put up a store for general merchandise. It fronted 
both Bigler street and the Plaza. A little further 
to the west was "Dutch" Schubert's bakery, board- 
ing house and ice cream parlor. H. T. Wilson built 
a new store on Bigler street, moved from the old 
sutler log store, and opened under the firm name of 

50 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Wilson, Gordon and Ray. A blacksmith shop own- 
ed by one Kelley stood where the Triangle building 
on Wall street now stands. 

On the corner of Jones street (National Avenue) 
and Locust, (First street) J. N. Roach built a one 
room log house. Later a stone front of one room 
was added. This was often called Fort Roach. Mr. 
C. H. Haynes occupied a house across Buck Run, 
and a little south of Weir street. Mr. Wingfield, 
who at this time, worked five mail routes, lived in 
a log house about where Little crosses Wall street. 
Only a path through the brush and over the Run 
led to the town center — the Plaza. 

A. McDonald and E. S. Bowmen, (who afterwards 
became president of the Erie R. R.) nut up a saw 
mill at the foot of Locust (Second St.) on the west 
side of Buck run. B. P. McDonald, then about 
eighteen years old, and J. Ray, worked in this mill. 
The lumber was mostly cottonwood, and like all 
Cottonwood lumber, much given to warping. Joe 
Ray said he had to measure it with a corkscrew, 
and watch it all the time to keep it from crawling 
off. 

The first real dwelling erected off the Plaza, was 
a story and a half frame, by Wm. Smith, on the 
corner of Scott Ave. and Birch (First) St. C. W. 
Goodlander put up his contractor's shop across the 
street on the east side of Scott Ave. Dr. Couch put 
up a log house on his claim near Potter's Grove. It 
stood at the foot of the mound that is there. 

THE DROUTH, OCTOBER 1859-JULY 1860. 

Before this time, the crops raised by the settlers 
were barely sufficient to keep them from starving, 
from crop time to crop time; there w^as nc surplus 
and when the drouth came they were face to face 

51 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

with starvation. These settlers had been able to 
fight, and to endure all the privations, incident to 
pioneer life and to outride the dreadful "Border 
Troubles" but hunger, that worst of all evils, con- 
quered many of them and of the 100,000 pioneers, 
30,000 of them pulled up stakes and went back east. 
They tell of a legend on one wagon, "Going back to 
my mother-in-law." 

Some of the wagons, on going into Kansas, bore 
the legend, "In God We Trust," but on coming out 
after the drouth they bore this legend: "In God We 
Trusted; In Kansas We Busted." 

The first of September, 1859, saw the last rain for 
over a year. During the summer the winds blew hot 
and sizzling, drying up all vegetation, streams and 
ponds, even the Kaw river was fordable in places. 
While the hot winds lasted, the thermometer stood 
114 degrees in the shade, and everybody retreated 
to their houses and closed every window and door. 
People went down to the Marmaton river with cups 
to dip the water into their buckets. A bucket of 
water brought to the house cost 25 cents, and was 
part mud at that. The East came to the rescue with 
food, clothing and other necessities, and helped to 
tide over the time until another cron could be raised. 



52 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

CHURCHES 

METHODIST. 

In vol. 13, P. 311 of the Kansas Historical Collec- 
tion, Rev. Cyrus R. Rice, an early Methodist mis- 
sionary in Kansas, tells of being sent by the first 
Kansas Methodist conference, meeting at Kickapoo, 
to Fort Scott, to organize a church, in 1856. He and 
his wife came, of course, on horse back, as it was 
before the stage days, and boarded at the Fort 
Scott Hotel. He goes on to say "A company had 
bought the Post hospital and fitted it up for school 
purposes and for church." The operating room 
was seated and arranged for an assembly room and 
chapel and in this room we organized a society (The 
old Methodist w^ord for church) and we used it for 
years for that purpose." Much of Rev. Rice's work 
was missionary work in the country, preaching in 
Fort Scott on Sundays, and in the country on week 
days. Rev. Rice died in Kansas, a few years ago. 

Before they had a church edifice, they held ser- 
vices in the City Hall, and after the Presbyterians 
built their church, they occupied that, on alternate 
Sundays. At some of these early church services, 
the hymns were "lined out," (hymn books were 
scarce in those days) and Robert Blackett accom- 
panied the singing with a French harp. 

This organization fell into disuetude but in 1866 
the Rev, C. R. Rice was again appointed to this sta- 
tion (during the war having transferred his mem- 
bership from the M. E. Church (South) to the M. 
E. Church (North) and at this time made the pres- 
ent organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
with about thirty members. 

The Rev. J. Paulson followed the Rev. C. Rice the 
next year. At this time church services were held in 

53 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

the courthouse, corner National avenue and Second 
street. 

EPISCOPAL. 

Rev. C. Reynolds, Army Chaplain, stationed at 
Leavenworth, came occasionally to Fort Scott to 
hold services, and in September 1859, organized the 
church. Geo. Clark, W. Ransom, C. H. Haynes, B. 
P. McDonald and C. W. Goodlander were the five 
vestrymen and W. Ransom was senior Warden 
and C. H. Haynes, junior Warden. 

In 1860, the Town Company gave two lots, (the 
present location of the church) and Mrs. Haynes 
and other ladies of the church solicited funds 
enough to build the foundation, walls and roof. In 
this unfinished state, it was rented by the Govern- 
ment for an arsenal, with the proviso that the Gov- 
ernment should put in the floor, doors and windows. 
The building was of stone, covered with stucco. In 
October, 1866, Rev. J. M. Kendricks came as rector, 
and through his efforts the church was put In con- 
dition for services, the chancel finished, the pews 
put in and a cabinet organ donated by the ladies of 
the parish. 

PRESBYTERIAN. 

In November, 1859, Rev. Rankin came to Fort 
Scott from Buffalo, N. Y., to help organize a 
church. He preached two sermons on the subject, 
and on Sunday, Nov. 13th, the church was organized 
with three members, Mrs. Wm. Smith, Mrs. A. 
McDonald and J. S. Calkins. Mr. Calkins was made 
elder. These three, with the help of Mrs. J. G. Mil- 
ler organized a Union Sunday School. Mrs. Miller 
went out into the highways and hedges and brought 
the children in, herself, to make sure they did not 

54 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

forget. It was a new experience for these children 
as this was the first Sunday School in the commu- 
nity. Rev. Rankin stayed about a year and was fol- 
lowed by Rev. S. N. Miller. 

In 1860, the Town Company donated two lots on 
the comer of Williams and Hickory streets. In 1865 
a church was built at a cost of $3,269.00. The 
trustees were: W. R. Judson, H. T. Wilson, Dr. J. 
S. Redfield, S. A. WilUams and A. McDonald. The 
first sermon in the new church was preached No- 
vember 20th, 1865, and the dedication took place 
December 3rd, 1865. 

CATHOLIC. 

Revs. J. Shoemaker, P. M. Ponziglione and J. 
Van Gach came up from Osage Mission, in 1860, to 
make arrangements for organizing a church. Rev. 
J. F. Cunningham was the first priest. The Town 
Company offered them two lots in town, but as 
they wanted land enough for a school, also, the 
Company gave land on the edge of town, and Wm. 
Gallagher gave them five acres outside of the city 
limits adjoining. Later the church added two more 
acres. On this, they put up a stone building for a 
chapel, which is now used for a school. 



55 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

TOWN COMPANY 

To understand why the Town Company organiza- 
tion of 1855 was illegal, one should understand a lit- 
tle of the workings of the "Bogus" Legislature. 
Gov. A. H. Reader, first governor of the territory of 
Kansas, called an election for delegates to Con- 
gress. That was the signal for an influx of Pro- 
Slavery men from Missouri, and bands from the 
southern states, organized for the purpose of coming 
to Kansas, to carry the election in favor of slavery. 
The same thing occurred at the election for mem- 
bers of the Legislature. When this legislature met 
at Pawnee, the pro-slavery members were in ma- 
jority and ousted most of the free state members, 
and moved the seat of government to Shawnee 
Mission, near the Missouri line, where, re-inforced 
by plenty of ardent spirits brought from Westport, 
four miles away, they enacted enough laws to fill 
a good sized book. 

As this legislature was formed by an illegal 
election, its statutes were illegal. The legislature 
of 1859 repealed these laws, and after adjournment 
the members burned a copy of these bogus laws in 
the streets of Lawrence. The first Fort Scott Town 
Company was formed under these same "Bogus 
Statutes," August 30th, 1855, and being, of course, 
illegal, the organization came to naught, and the 
town was not incorporated. The trustees of this 
company were H. T. Wilson, A. Hornbeck, T. Dodge, 
R. G. Roberts, F. Demmitt, and T. Arnett. 

Geo. A. Crawford, President of the later Town 
Company, came to Kansas from Washington, D. C. 
in the spring of 1857. While in Lawrence he and 
Norman Eddy, U. S. Commissioner for sale of In- 
dian lands, met a party going to Fort Scott, and 
joined them. They had come west with the inten- 
se 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

tion of forming a town company somewhere in the 
fast growing Kansas Territory. Fort Scott, from 
all reports, seemed a likely place for such an organ- 
ization, so they hired a private conveyance drawn by 
a pair of mules, and came to the Fort. There were 
about 300 inhabitants living on the Plaza and just 
otuside. They proceeded at once to organize their 
company, which consisted of Geo. A. Crawford, 
President; G. W. Jones, Secretray; H. T. Wilson, 
Treasurer; D. W. Holbrook, W. R. Judson, E. S. 
Lowman, T. R. Blackburn and N. Eddy. They 
bought, conditionally, the claims of H. T. Wilson, 
S. A. Williams, G. W. Jones and N. E. Herson, 320 
acres, and later 200 more on the east side. They 
took the claims, as before stated, conditionally for 
the U. S. Government had not yet acquired by 
treaty the land from the New York Indians on which 
the town stood, and so, could give no valid title. 
Nevertheless, the Legislature passed an act incorpo- 
rating the town, Feb. 27th, 1860. Not until Septem- 
ber of the same year, when the government signed 
the treaty, were the titles made legal. All these 
householders must have felt happy that September 
morning, when they could change the song they 
had been singing since 1853 "When I can read my 
title clear," to "I CAN read my title clear." 

The Company donated two lots each to the Pres- 
byterian, Episcopal, Catholic and Methodist 
churches, which were then organized; to the county 
one block for a court house and jail, and the lots 
on which the houses stood, to the owners of the 
houses on the Plaza, and lots on the east and west 
side for schools. The property donated was worth 
about $57,000.00 at that time. 

George A. Crawford was president of the com- 
pany for twelve years. 

The streets of the town, running north and south 

57 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

were named after the members of the company, ex- 
cept WiUiams, which was named for S. A. WilUams, 
one of the claim owners, and Bigler, for Joseph 
Bigler. The streets running east and west were 
named for trees, except Weir and Montgomery. 
The town Hmits were Lowman on the west, Little 
on the east, Sycamore on the north and Montgom- 
ery on the south. The old and later names follow: 



1861. 



Wall 


was 


Weir 


First 


»» 


Locus 


Second 


»» 


Birch 


Third 


j» 


Hickory 


Fourth 


»> 


Chestnut 


Fifth 


5» 


Orange 


Sixth 


99 


Ash 


Seventh 


5> 


Montgomery 


Scott Ave. 


was 


Scott Ave. 


Main 


»» 


WiUi-^.ms St 


National Ave 


99 


Jones St 


TudsoR 


99 


ludsoD 


Eddy 


»» 


Eddy 


Holbrook 


»5 


Holbrook 


Lownian 


5» 


Lowman 


Market 


MAYORS. 


Bigler 



J. Rav (acting) 1860 J. S. Miller 1862 

J. Rav 1861 G. A. Reynolds 1863 

G. Dimon 1864 

Mrs. C. W. Goodlander has in her possession, the 

patent issued by the Government to Joseph Ray, 

58 



THE WHY OP FORT SCOTT 

Mayor, for the site of Fort Scott, dated 1860. The 
original plat of the town can be seen at the Othick 
Abstract office. 

BLOCK HOUSES 

There were three of these block houses: Fort 
Blair, Fort Henning, and Fort Insley. They were 
built in 1862-63. 

Fort Blair stood nearly at the intersection of what 
are now First St., and Scott Avenue. Mr. Wm. 
Smith (the first to build a residence outside the 
Plaza) bought it from the Government after the 
War, and had it moved to the rear of his lot, for a 
carpenter shop. It stood there, on the alley between 
Scott Avenue and Main St., until Dr. W. S. McDon- 
ald, in a true spirit of town patriotism, had it moved 
to his lots on the corner of National Avenue and 
First St., to preserve it and to prevent further decay. 
It is so placed that home people and strangers, too, 
can see it as a constant reminder of our historic 
days. 

Fort Henning stood at the intersection of Second 
St. and National Avenue. When the Standard Oil 
Co. was digging, preparatory to putting up the fill- 
ing station, they found the remains of a moat a key 
and some bullets. Mr. Ed Marble says he helped 
to level the embankment around the fort. 

Fort Insley stood on the point back of the Plaza, 
where Pennimans' powder house now stands, and 
where the marker was placed by the ladies of the 
D. A. R. 

These block houses were surrounded by an em- 
bankment, outside of which was a moat. A 
24-pound cannon was within the enclos-are. Truly 
the Government was for preparedness in those 
strenuous days. 

59 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

THE OLD BLOCK HOUSE. 

The *'Old Block House" shattered and worn; 
By time and wind racked and torn, 
Many's the time it has sheltered well 
From fall of bullet or storm of shell. 
The soldier who pased his lonely beat 
Or guarded him safe in his hasty retreat. 

In time of war an outlying post. 
Stormed at by cannon of opposing host; 
Now its doors stand open wide, 
Beyond its walls no enemy hide. 

Those whom it guarded are passing from sight, 
Time misses non in its onward flight. 
But the "Old Block House* still stands guard 
Bent in its age, battered and scarred. 

— Mary L. Barlow. 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

FIRST CITY ELECTION 

In pursuance of the Act incorporating Fort Scott 
as a town, the first election was held on the second 
Monday in March, 1860. W. R. Judson was elected 
Mayor, but failing to qualify, Joseph Ray became 
acting Mayor; Councilmen, H. T. Wilson. C. W. 
Blair, J. S. Redfield and Geo. Crawford; City Clerk. 
Wm. Gallagher; Recorder, Wm. Margrave; Marshal, 
R. Phillips; Assessor, J. S. Calkins; Treasurer, A. 
McDonald; Street Commissioner, A. R. Alhson. 
The first official act of the council was to order a 
new fence placed around the Plaza. 

One of the first official acts of Mayor Ray was 
to introduce Jim Lane, who was to make a speech 
from the porch of one of the Post barracks build- 
ings. The Mayor became very much frustrated, 
and just as he started his speech, a mule began a 
very sonorous and prolonged bray, confusing Mr. 
Ray the more. Waiting patiently for the mule to 
bring his bray to an end, he said, "Mr. Mule, if you 
wish to monopolize the meeting, I think you are 
more suitable than I to introduce the honorable 
gent, so I will retire in your favor." He never 
lacked for words if the situation was humorous, but 
his tongue failed him if a set speech was required. 

BANKS. 

In 1860, J. C. Seymour and Co. organized a pri- 
vate bank in the Redfield building which stood 
where the Marble building now stands, and had an 
entrance on both Williams and Weir streets. In 
1860 its fixtures and good will were bought by A. 
McDonald and Bros., and continued as a private 
bank in the same name, until 1868. In 1863, Mr. 
McDonald purchased a safe, the first to be brought 

61 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

to Fort Scott. J. Dillon was the cashier. The bank 
was in the rear of the McDonald store, corner 
of Weir and Scott Avenue. The name was changed 
to the First National Bank of Fort Scott, in 1871, 
with B. P. McDonald, President and L. C. Nelson, 
Cashier. 

The D. A. R. collection of pictures of "Old Fort 
Scott" gives a photograph of the McDonald bank. 

WAR HAPPENINGS 

This year saw Kansas triumphant. Even though 
she had been tried by the scorching winds of polit- 
ical conflict both at home and in the halls of Con- 
gress; though she had seen her fair prairies become 
the scenes of bloody struggles; though she had seen 
drouth deplete her population and devastate her 
farms; though she had seen starvation's gaunt form 
enter her homes; though she had seen half the 
Union arrayed against her, and great and strong 
men opposed to her policy, she had entered the 
Union with head up, banners flying, and "Per as- 
pera" on her lips. 

But now in spite of her triumph, her mettle was 
to be further tried and one of her staunchest sup- 
porters was the little town of Fort Scott. True to 
type, her young men left their plows, their shops, 
and their hard earned homes, to help uphold the 
hands of freedom, and their country, one and un- 
divided. The Fort Scott "Democrat" then edited 
by Wm. Smith and Tiis son, E. A. Smith, came out, 
Jan. 19th, 1861, with the announcement that "Here- 
after all party politics would be abandoned and the 
Administration at Washington would be supported 
by the paper." 

During the course of the year, all kinds of patriot- 
62 



THE V/HY OF FORT SCOTT 

ic demonstrations took place in the town, declaring 
for support of the Union. As late as March, the 
citizens of the town, as well as those of all the North, 
labored under the delusion that war could be avert- 
ed. Even as radical a man as Jim Lane, advocated 
conservatism, in a speech made here at the invita- 
tion of the town. He said: "Keep your heads level, 
pursue your usual course in business, cultivate your 
crops, and forestall the horrors of war." He gave 
the same advice at a meeting held later at Bames- 
ville. This meeting was made up of all factions 
and shades of politics called to devise plans of ac- 
tion, whereby all parties might be drawn together 
in one final effort. The firing on Fort Sumpter of 
course changed all this, and on April 24th, the 
largest demonstration Fort Scott ever had seen, and 
one to be still proud of, took place. Old feuds were 
forgotten, patriotic speeches were made, patriotic 
songs were sung, and the Plaza echoed with cheers 
for the Union. A rousing meeting was held at 
Barnesville March 20th, to form a working commit- 
tee, to systematize as much as possible all prepara- 
tion for raising troops in Linn and Bourbon 
Counties. The people of Kansas had a greater real- 
ization of the seriousness of the coming conflict 
than did the people of the North. The slavery 
question had been so long and so vividly before 
them that they issued no call for "ninety day" men. 
It was, "Boys get in for as long as Lincoln wants 
us; it took four years to save Kansas; what will it 
take, to save the whole country? We won't get 
started in ninety days." 

At a meeting held on the evening of April 24th, 
composed of the representative men of the town, 
the decision was made to raise two companies The 
volunteering began at once and the quota'^completed 
and officers elected. The officers of the first 
company were Captain, C. W. Blair; first, second 

63 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

and third lieutenants, A. R. Allison, R. L. Phillips 
and G. Bull. The officers of the second company 
were: Captain, C. Dimon; W. Gallagher and A. F. 
Bucking. Shortly these two companies were consoli- 
dated and started to Lawrence to be mustered into 
service. They called themselves the Frontier 
Guard. 

Their service was short, but later most of them 
went into three years' service. Later, another 
company was raised and called Frontier Guard, 
No. 2. On July 4th, these two companies invited 
a company (cavalry) raised at Drywood, and one 
raised at Mill Creek, (infantry) to take part in a 
parade. They were escorted into town by the home 
companies where dinner was served by the ladies 
of the town. After dinner, gathered on the Plaza, 
Capt. John Hamilton drilled the cavalry, and E. A. 
Smith the infantry. Thus was Fort Scott started 
on the war path, a pretty good showing for a town 
of 500 inhabitants. 

THE SIXTH KANSAS CAVALRY. 

By this time, July 1861, war was getting uncom- 
fortably close. The battle of Carthage aroused the 
people to the fact of their exposure all along the 
border, to raids from guerilla bands, for this bor- 
der was entirely unprotected. The home guards 
were kept pretty busy in the immediate vicin^h^ of 
the town. 

After an appeal by the citizens Gen. Lyon, com- 
mander of the Military Department of the West, au- 
thorized W. L. Campbell and W. C. Ransom to re- 
cruit Home Guards of one hundred men. Soon 
two more companies were recruited, one of cav- 
alry and one of infantry. These were augmented 
by a company recruited by L. R. Jewell from the Ar- 
cadia neighborhood. Still more troops were need- 

64 



THE WHY OF FORT SGOTT 

ed and five more companies were recruited in Aug- 
ust. These eight companies were at once organ- 
ized into a regiment and on September 9th, an elec- 
tion for field officers was held, resulting in the fol- 
lowing: Col. W. R. Judson, Lieut. Col. L. R. Jewell, 
Maj. W. Campbell, Adj. C. O. Judson, Quartermas- 
ter, G. G. Clark, Surgeon, J. S. Redfield. Later 
two more companies were added and the regiment 
was organized into a cavalry regiment. Companies 
ABC and D were recruited in Bourbon County and 
Captained by W. C. Ransom, W. S. Campbell and 
J. Grover. They camped at Fort Scott, most of 
them riding their own horses and without uniform. 
Uniforms are considered the outward and visible 
sign of the inward fighting spirit of a soldier, but 
out west the fighter is found fighting, uniform or no 
uniform. 

This regiment can easily take its place beside the 
Elsworth Zouaves, the Blue Devils of France, and 
the Fighting 35th in the Argonne. No wonder Kan- 
sas is on the map with capital letters. 

Gen. Lane, who, through some pull in politics had 
pursuaded the authorities at Washington to put 
him in command of the Kansas troops, ordered more 
troops to concentrate at Fort Scott, and made the 
town a military post and supply depot. Troops 
moved back and forth as they guarded the border 
and met the raiders in their maraudings through 
the eastern part of the state. 

Parts of the 1st Kansas battery, the 3rd and 5th 
Kansas infantry and the 6th Kansas Cavalry were 
stationed in the town at this time. 

Battle of Drywood. 

On September 2, 1861, Gen. Price, who was in 
Missouri ready to raid southeastern Kansas with his 
burning, devastating bands, sent Gen. Rains, with a 

65 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

detachment, over the border in this vicinity, and 
coming within a couple of miles of Fort Scott, cap- 
tured a number of government mules that were cor- 
ralled near the Tallman farm. About 500 cavalry 
and infantry under command of Col. Montgomery 
of the 3rd Kansas, started in pursuit and rnet them 
at Drywood where they had a lively skirmish until 
the ammunition of the Union men gave out; they 
then made a lively retreat to the town, which was 
guarded by the infantry stationed on the rise south 
and southeast of town. Mr. Goodlander, in his 
book, gives some amusing accounts of these home 
guards. The next day another attack was expected, 
but when night came and no enemy appeared, they 
all sought shelter from a raging storm in their ov/n 
camp within the town. 

This is the time that Gen. Lane ordered the en- 
tire force and all the inhabitants of Fort Scott to 
seek safety at Fort Lincoln, an improvised little 
fort he had erected about twelve miles north on the 
Osage river. They were to carry with ihem stores, 
ammunition, women and children. One company 
was left to guard the town, under command of Col. 
L. R. Jewell. It was at this time that Gen. Lane 
gave that noted order: "Guard the town until 
Price's army show themselves on the crest of the 
rise east of town, then apply the torch and make 
your retreat to Fort Lincoln." Mrs. Wm. Smith 
and Mrs. H. T. Wilson and Mrs. J. S. Miller refused 
to leave, preferring to take chances of another raid. 
Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Wilson went over to Mrs. 
Smith's to see what she proposed doing, and all 
three women stayed at the Smith house. Col. Jewell 
sending soldiers to guard them. Other families 
went to the country and camped all night, S. A. 
Williams' family being one of them. This order has 
been often disputed by Gen. Lane's friends, but 

66 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Mrs. C. H. Haynes, A. H. CampbeU, C. H. Osbun and 
P. Gorman all testify to this order. Their testimo- 
ny is given in notes on page 231 of the 12th vol. of 
the State Historical Society Collection. The friends 
of Gen. Lane feel sure that the order was given in 
all good faith, with no malice, because he felt his 
force to be inadequate to defend the town — a head- 
long order given in a moment of excitement by an 
eccentric, excitable man. Col. Jewell's reply was as 
characteristic of him: "When Gen. Price begins 
his occupancy of the city, then your order will be 
obeyed." They had to get near enough for him "to 
see the whites of their eyes." 

Gen. Price, not being cognizant of conditions in 
Fort Scott, ordered Gen. Rains to make a counter- 
march to Lexington, Missouri, and thus Fort Scott 
was saved. 

1S62. 

In March of this year, the Confederates came into 
northwest Arkansas in greater force, thus menacing 
southeastern Kansas, and the miUtary force at Fort 
Scott was augmented by the 1st, the 9th, 12th and 
13th Wisconsin, and the 2nd Ohio cavalry, and 2nd 
Indiana battery. Such an incoming of troops stim- 
ulated business and put the little town of 500 in- 
habitants in a prosperous condition. 

In May, Lieut. Strong of the 2nd Ohio cavalry, 
built a bridge across the Marmaton river to make 
it easier for the supply trains bringing stores to en- 
ter town. Shortly after, the bridge was washed 
away by a flood. 

In June, Col. Jewell was appointed Post Com- 
mander. During the summer, C. W. Blair raised 
the 2nd Kansas battery. On July 15th, the first is- 
sue of the Monitor came out at Marmaton, under the 
editorship D. B. Emmert. 

67 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

During this year, the soldiers all felt that they 
were becoming hardened veterans and could much 
better endure the hardships of forced marches and 
of camp life, to which was added a greater deter- 
mination to keep their state a Free State, and their 
country a united country. 

1863. 

A movement, through the efforts of C. F. Drake 
and others, was started to bring the county seat 
back to Fort Scott, a very necessary step (so felt 
these men) if the town was ever to become the 
principal town of southeastern Kansas. The county 
seat had been moved to Marmaton in 1858, in order 
to get it further away from the Missouri border and 
the dangers of guerilla raiding into the state. 

The session of the Legislature 1863 had passed a 
law, allowing an election to be held for the location 
of a county seat, on application to the County Court. 
An election was held in May of this year, for this re- 
location and Fort Scott won, over Centerville, Ma- 
ple ton, and Fort Lincoln. On May 16th the County 
Commissioners met at Marmaton and a proclama- 
tion declaring Fort Scott to be the county seat was 
issued. The commissioners were T. W. Tallman, I. 
Ford and E. A. Toles. D. Cobb, County Clerk. The 
City Hall or court house as it was afterwards called, 
standing on the southeast corner of National Ave., 
and Second street, was built and offered to the 
county by the city, if the county seat was returned 
to Fort Scott. The cost of the building was $4,500. 
It was built by Goodlander and Allison. The upper 
room was used for Court and at other times for 
lectures, amusements and school. 

The three block houses were built in this year, 
and the old Post hospital was again used for its 
original purpose. 

68 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

The troops stationed in Fort Scott, in 1863, were 
Companies E, B, F, of the 12th Kansas infantry. 
They were camped on Holbrook street between Wall 
and Oak Streets. One of their duties was to guard 
the old burial ground and see that none of the 
graves were desecrated. While the troops were here 
they were notified that they might bring their fam- 
ilies here, and that rations would be issued to them. 
Mr. Baseman's father, mother and two sisters came. 
The Government issued enough lumber to them to 
build a cabin, which stood near the camp of the 12th 
and Mrs. Baseman cooked for one of the messes. 

The 9th Kansas Cavalry was also stationed here 
during this year, camping about where the Mo. Pac. 
shops now are. Blair's Battery (Second Kansas) 
was camped on Holbrook between Wnll and First 
streets. The 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry's camp was 
on the Marmaton bottoms, between Wall and Oak 
streets. The three Pond boys were in this. The 1st 
and 2nd Kansas colored troops were camped on 
Buck Run, near Fifth street. 

1864. 

At a Demiocratic meeting in May of this year, in 
the City Hall, the following resolution was passed: 
"As a party we will vote for no man fo- President 
who is not pledged to devote all his powers to the 
suppression of the Rebellion, and to the maintenace 
of the Union." 

In May, H. Taylor, a guerilla, made a raid on 
Drywood and committed several depredations. On 
his way out of the country, he stopped at the house 
of L. L. Dry, intending to take Joe, a son, who was a 
Union scout, prisoner. This farm was where Gar- 
land now stands. Taylor ordered the girls and 
Newt Ury, into the yard, preparatory to burning the 
house. Joe Ury knocked Taylor down. Taylor re- 

69 



THP: why of fort SCOTT 

gaining his feet, ordered his men to shoot. L. Ury, 
the father, who was standing near the house was 
struck, and so badly wounded that he died a short 
time later. Just after the shooting, Taylor saw a 
squad of soldiers led by George Pond, coming to 
the rescue (they belonged to a Wisconsin regiment 
camped nearby), and made his get-away in a hurry, 
failing to take Joe Ury with him. 

PRICE'S RAID 

To vary the monotony, Gen. Price made a second 
raid, in October, with a force of about 20,000 men. 
All troops then in eastern Kansas were ordered to 
take the field against him. The forces in northern 
Kansas met Price at Lexington, the Little Blue and 
the Big Blue, and were victorious at all three places. 
Price then retreated south along the border, fight- 
ing as he retreated, until he reached Mine Greek, 
near Pleasanton. There he met the Union troops, 
those from Fort Scott consisted of about 1,000, the 
24th Regiment of State MiUtia, officers, Col. L 
Stadden, Lieut. Gol. J. Van Fossen, Major J. Ury, 
Surgeon B. F. Hepler. They had the wide prairie 
for a battle ground The engagement lasted several 
hours, the Union army capturing about 1,000 of 
Price's men, nine pieces of artillery and four gene- 
erals: Marmaduke, Cabell, Slemmer and Graham. 
Through the movements of Gen. Blair's army 
Price was obliged to take a south and easterly course 
into Missouri. He made two stands in Bourbon 
County, one on the Little Osage, and the other on 
Shiloh Creek, losing two more pieces of artillery. 
Thus for the second time Fort Scott was saved from 
Price's army. Great was the rejoicing when the vic- 
torious army returned, for all had expected the raid 
to continue due south with Fort Scott as the ob- 
jective. 

70 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

In October, Joe Shelby made a raid into Bourbon 
County, plundering and killing as he went. The 
most ruthless and uncalled for murders and burn- 
ings occurred in the latter part of October, in a raid 
made by another band of guerillas, under Matthews 
and Courcy on Marmaton. Word was brought in 
of their approach and squads were sent out to guard 
the approaches, but the guerillas came into town, 
cross lots, avoiding the main approaches. They shot 
down H. Knowles, D. Brown, L. Chadwick, J. 
Stout, A. McGonogle and W. Hawkins. This was 
not war, but murder in its worst form. The stores 
of Aitkins and Knowles, Cobb & Jones, the house 
of Mrs. Schoen and the Methodist church were 
burned. An alarm was sent into Fort Scott, but 
even after a forced march the troops were too late 
to capture the guerillas. 

These were the last of the raids into Bourbon 
County and Fort Scott and the people were at last 
free to follow the pursuits of peace and to live their 
lives in newer and brighter surroundings. These 
young soldiers had all come to Kansas to make a 
home and to own a bit of soil in a free state, and 
truly they fought the good fight with courage and 
true loyalty, their faces always to the foe, and may 
they rest in God's good keeping, and may their 
memory be always green in the hearts of their chil- 
dren and of their children's children. The women 
were always loyal and courageous, too, doing cheer- 
fully their part, in this great struggle. 



71 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

SUMMARY 

1842. 

May 30th, Capt. B. D. Moore, Surgeon J. Simpson, 
Lieut. W. Eustice and 120 men establised a camp 
on the point of the Plaza bluff and called it Camp 
Scott. The name was changed to Fort Scott, by or- 
der of the Government, in 1843. 

1843. 

Post buildings finished and troops moved into 
permanent quarters. 

Col. H. T. Wilson arrived and bought a partner- 
ship in the Post sutler's store from J. A. Bugg. 
1843-52. 

A military post, and nothing of historical value 
happened. 

1853. 

Fort Scott abandoned as a military post in April. 
Two famines were left here — Lieut. J. Hamilton's 
and H. T. Wilson's. 

1855. 

Few settlers had come in yet, except to the county. 

May 16th, Post buildings, without land, sold at 
auction by Major Howe, for less than $5,000.00. 

First election for congressmen held at the house 
of H. T. Wilson. Judges: H. T. Wilson, T. B. Ar- 
nett and W. Godfrey. 

Fort Scott Hotel, (later Free State Hotel) opened 
in officers' quarters, corner of Marmaton and Blair 
Aves., by Thos. Arnett, May 30th. 

72 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

First election for Territorial Council and House 
of Representatives. 

Western Hotel opened in Post barracks, next the 
hospital building. 

Bourbon County organized. Fort Scott named as 
county seat. 

Fort Scott Town Company formed under "Bogus 
Statutes", never functioned, later declared illegal. 

1854-55. 
Arrivals 1854-55:- 

T. B. Arnett Wm. Margrave 
F. Demint J. Mitel ell 

T. Dodge R. G. Roberts 

E. Greenwood J. J. Stewart 
A. Hornbeck E. Wiggin 
S. A. Williams 

1856. 

Fort Scott's most turbulent year — the border 
troubles occupying everyone's attention. Few im- 
migrants came in and there was Httle or no im- 
provements made. Everyone thought themselves 
lucky if they kept homes intact, and themselves 
from being shot at night. 

The "Southern Democrat," first paper pubhshed 
in the town, put out two issues; a man by the name 
of Khne was editor. 

Texas rangers visit the town. 

1857. 

Masonic lodge, Bourbon No. 8, was organized, 
October 19th. In 1859, the records showed 26 mem- 
bers. The officers, 1857-59, were: Grand Master, 
J. J. Fareley; Senior Warden, no name reported; 

73 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Junior Warden, J. L. Price; Treas., S. D. Gordon; 
Secretary, A. R. Allison; Senior Deacon, J. L. Ray; 
Junior Deacon, B. L. Riggins; Tyler, I. G. Harris; 
Bourbon Lodge No. 8 was consolidated with the 
Rising Sun Lodge, No. 46, in 1878. Rising Sun 
Lodge was organized May 19, 1865. 

"A Committee of Vigilance" was formed, the 
five members being H. T. Wilson, B. Little, T. B. 
Arnett, G. A. Crawford and J. W. Head. They were 
to organize a Home Guard company to patrol the 
town at night, to aid civil authorities in the execu- 
tion of w^arrants and all other legal processes, and to 
do general guard duty. 

Petitions were sent to the Governor, asking that 
soldiers be sent to protect the citizens of the town 
and county from the frequent raids by the "Bor- 
der Ruffians." Companies E and F of 1st U. S. 
Cavalry, under Capt. Sturgis were sent. 

The Land Office was opened with E. Ransom, 
Receiver, and G. W. Clark (Fort Scott's evil genius) 
Register. Their first office was in the Post bar- 
racks on Marmaton Ave., afterwards in the Town 
Compan^^'s building on Bigler street. 

Immigrants^ began coming into the town and 
county in large numbers. 

"Squatter's Court" organized for this district, to 
try and get justice done to the claims of the Free 
State men. Judge Williams of the District Court, 
being pro-slavery, gave very one-sided decisions in 
cases tried before him. 

Mapleton organized. 

A Protective Society organized in the county. 

First vote, on Lecompton Constitution in Bourbon 
County, stood: Constitution with slavery, 366; 
without slavery, 78. Free state men refusing to 
vote, knowing their votes would be thrown out. 

74 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 



1857. 



Arrivals 1857:- 

A. R. Allison 
J. Andrick 
T. Blackburn 
A. M. Bills 
E. S. bowen 
C Bull 

C. P. Bullock 
J. S. Calkins 
A Campbell 
W. T. Campbell 
G. J. Clark 
G. W. Clark 
J. H. Couch 
G. A. Crawford 
O, Darling 
C. Dimon 
S. B. Farewell 



W. M. Gillagher 
S. B. Gordon 
J. Harris 
J. E. Jones 
R. Kelsoe 
W. I. Linn 

A. McDt nald 

B. P. McDonald 
A. J. sbun 
E.Ransom 

J. Ray 
J. N. Roach 
J. S. Sims 
E. A. Smith 
I. Stadden 
R. Stadden 
J. G. Stuart 



T. W. Tallman 
J. Williams 



1858. 

First stage coach arrives from Kansas City, in 
April. 

Jennison's Jayhawker raid. 

Fort Scott Democrat established. First issue, 
Jan. 27th, E. Jones, editor. 

Uniontown organized. 

County seat moved to Marmaton on account of 
border troubles. . , j xu 

Well on the Plaza became contaminated and the 
drinking water question became serious. The 
spring at the foot of the bluff, back of the Plaza, 
was enlarged, and everybody was obliged to carry 
their drinking water up that steep incline. 

First ball was given by W. T. Campbell. It was 

75 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

to celebrate the formal opening of the Free State 
Hotel, and was attended by the fashion of the town. 

Bowen and McDonald saw mill completed, the 
first manufactory. 

The first building on Bigler St. 

Border trouble begins again. The Marias des 
Cygne massacre was planned at the Pro-Slavery 
Hotel. 

Attempt of Montgomery's men to burn the Pro- 
Slavery Hotel by running a load of burning hay 
against the side, but the sidings were of heavy oak 
lumber and nothing came of the attempt. 

G. A. Crawford, Wm. Gallagher and C. Dimon 
were notified to leave town on pain of death, by a 
lot of border ruffians, G. W. Clark at the head. 

Many Indians were still coming here to trade 
ponies, blankets, etc. 

Montgomery raid, release of B. Rice and death of 
Marshal J. Little. 

Arrival*^ :- 

R. Blackett C. H. Haynes 

G. Dimon E. Marble 

C. F. Drake D. Phillips 

S. Eaton Wm. Smith 

C. W. Goodlander J F. White 

1859. 

The Episcopal Church organized in September. 

The Presbyterian Church organized in November. 

First Fourth of July celebration a picnic and 
dance in the evening. Ice for the lemonade brought 
from the Marias des Cygnes at 10 cents per pound. 

Coal hauled to Springfield, Mo., and traded for 
wheat, bushel for bushel. 

H. Hartman built the first ice house. 

76 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 



First furniture store opened by McGauly and Wil- 
liams. 

First drug store was opened by D. Andricks on 
Williams St., two doors from northeast corner of 
Weir St. 

First County Surveyor, Wm. Norway. 

First dentist, Dr. H. S. Greeno. 

Fort Scott "Democrat" revived July 14th under 
the editorship of Wm. Smith and son, E. A. Smith. 

Militia organized three companies under J. Ham- 
ilton, A. McDonald and W. T. Campbell. 

Arrivals :- 



C. W. Blair 
J. Caldwell 
J. Dillon 
W. Dorey 



B. F. Hepler 
W. R. .Tudson 
J. G Miller 
J. S. Redfield 



BUSINESS 1859. 



Lawyers - - Ellison & Blair 
Wm. Margrave 
J. S. Sims 
C. P. Bullock 
R. Stadden 
L. A. McCord 
Williams Bros., M. & W. 

Doctors - - J. H. Couch 
A. M. Bills 
A. G. Osbun 
Redfield & Miller 

Merchants - H. T. Wilson 
Hill & Riggin 
G. A. Crawford & Co. 
Little & Son 
McDonald Bros. 

77 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

riothinff - - J. S. Calkins 

Groceries - -Malone 

Contractors - C. W. Goodlander 

Dennison & Waterhouse 



Tailors 


R. Blackett 
D. Funk 
P. Roscopi 


Tinwarr - - 


C. F. Drake 


Shoeraaker- 


E. L. Marble 


Harnesr - - 


F. D. Heuston 


Drugs 


D. Andrick 
H. S. Greeno 



Bakery and 

Ice Cream - H. Hartman 

Blacksmith - Wm. Dorey 

Town 

Company - -T. B. Blackburn 

G. A. Crawford 

N. Eddy 

D. W. Holbrook 

G. W. Jones 

W. R. Judson 

E S. Lowman 

D. H. Weir 

H. T. Wilson 

1860. 

First City election was held second Monday in 
March. 

Indian lands were opened for sale. They had 

78 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

just been acquired by the Government, after the 
treaty with the New York Indians was ratified. 
These lands were surveyed, platted and entered at 
the Land Office in June, and a public sale was held, 
December 3rd. Gen. Harney, staff and 180 men 
were sent down by the Governor to preserve order 
during the sale. 

School population, 300; county population, 
6,102. 

Fort Scott incorporated, February 27th. The 
Town Company had been organized in 1857, but the 
town had not been incorporated until this time. 
Mayor J. Ray received the patent for the site, 320 
acres (later 200 more on the east side w ere added) . 
Mrs. C. W. Goodlander has this patent in her pos- 
session. 

Two companies were formed for home defense, 
under A. McDonald and C. W. Blair. 

Corn sold for 50 cents per bushel. 

First photograph gallery opened by J. Parker in 
a building on southeast corner of Weir and Wil- 
liams streets. 

First bank opened by J. C. Seymore, in the Red- 
field building, a two-story frame, which stood on 
Weir St., where the Marble Building now stands. 

First hay scales set up by J. Ray and J. White, 
near the present site of the city scales. 

Catholic church organized; Rev. J. F. Cunning- 
ham was the first priest. 

Many trees planted along the streets and on the 
Plaza. 

An immigrant train of 40 wagons (50 families), 
on their way to Oregon, passed through, over the 
Military Road. They had a drove of 500 sheep. 

A dancing school was opened. A big New Year's 
ball was given. Printed invitations were issued, 
one of which is now in the possession of Mrs. C. W. 

79 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Goodlander. The guests danced till morning and 
then adjourned to the Wilder House for breakfast. 
A. McDonald built a residence on corner of Wil- 
liams and Locust Sts., the second to be built outside 
of the Plaza. 

1861. 

Second city election, J. Ray, Mayor. 

Rains frequent and crops good. 

Fort Scott Democrat had six columns on the fir- 
ing on Fort Sumpter. 

Fort Scott made a depot for army supplies. The 
Government rented the half-finished Episcopal 
Church for an arsenal. 

First troops sent to Fort Scott, under Gen. Har- 
ney. 

Depot established for receiving food and cloth- 
ing for the drouth sufferers. 

A. McDonald established the second bank. 

Flag staff erected on the west side of Williams 
street near the junction with Bigler street. 

City dug a well near the same junction. Two oth- 
ers were later dug, one near the junction of Scott 
Avenue and Locust Street, the other in front of the 
present Public Library site. 

May 1st, two companies of Frontier Guards were 
formed, and later. Frontier Guards No. 2 was raised. 

July 4th, these companies and one from Drywood 
and one from Mill Creek held a grand parade. 
Town had 500 inhabitants. 

Home Guards raised. Sixth Cavalry organized. 

Battle of Drywood fought. 

Gen. Lane's order given to abandon the town, re- 
move all stores to Fort Lincoln, and to burn the 
town, at the approach of Gen. Price's troops. 

Gen. Raines' raid, and mule-stealing occurred. 
80 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

1862. 

The town forces augmented by Kansas, Wiscon- 
sin and Ohio troops. 

A bridge built over the Marmaton River, by 
Lieut. Strong for the better convenience of bringing 
in army supphes; it was swept away by a flood, 
April 20th of this same year. After that there was 
no bridge over the river until 1871, when the pres- 
ent one was built by J. Heylmun, city engineer at 
that time. 

Lieut.-Gol. Jewell appointed Post Commander. 

The 2nd Kansas Battery raised by C. W. Blair. 

First issue of the Monitor at Marmaton, July 
15th. 

Fort Scott Bulletin first issued. 

1863. 

The county seat returned to Fort Scott. 

The three block houses finished. 

The first flour mill built by G. A. Crawford. 

First sleighs appeared on the streets, home-made 
ones. 

Miller Building erected, corner Williams and 
Weir Sts. 

Telegraphic communication with Leavenworth 
opened, J. D. McCleverty operator. 

City Hall finished and turned over to the county, 
to be used as a court house. Cost, $4,500.00. 

Henry Baseman, William Beth and Patrick 
Gorman are the three soldiers who served in Fort 
Scott in 1863, left now, in 1921, on the G. A. R. 
roster. 

1864. 
Raid made into the county by the guerilla Taylor. 

81 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Louis Ury killed by these raiders. 
Price's second raid made in October. 
Joe Shelby's raiders also visited the vicinity. 
The Marmaton massacre occurred. 
Fort Scott had about 3,000 inhabitants. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 

A. R. ALLISON. 

A. R. Allison arrived in Fort Scott in 1857, and 
soon after entered into partnership in the carpentry 
trade with C. W. Goodlander, and "had a finger" 
in most of the buildings erected outside of the 
Plaza in the early days. Later he entered the drug 
business with Dr. J. S. Redfield. He left a widow, 
now in Beloit, Kansas, and one son, Ernest, of Bar- 
nard, Kansas. 

HENRY BASEMAN. 

Mr. Baseman came in 1863 with the 12th Kansas 
Infantry and was here most of that year. It was 
two years later that he came here to live. Through 
him the compiler was able to give the exact location 
of the camps of the different troops stationed here 
in 1863. He gives an amusing account of a dinner 
served to him and others of his comrades as they 
stopped at Moneka, on a furlough to Leavenworth. 
Moneka was a settlement of vegetarians so they got 
no meat, something of a disappointment to a lot 
of hungry, young foot-weary soldiers. But they 
were willing to shorten their stop in the town, for 
they were horrified and much abashed to see the 
women in bloomers and were glad to hurry away. 

82 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Mr. Baseman has a wife and two daughters living. 
Mrs. Gene Othick of this city and Mrs. L. Schuley, 
of Kansas City, Kansas. 

JACOB BAMBURGER. 

Lieutenant Jacob Bamberger, wounded in the 
Confederate army, arrived in Fort Scott in the 
spring of 1864 from Charlotte, N. C. He purchased 
the frame business building located on the corner of 
Wall and Market streets, (the Calkins building) on 
the present site of the Bamberger Clothing store and 
opened a clothing store in November 1864. When 
first coming to Fort Scott he boarded with Mrs. 
Henry Ernich on Scott Avenue and later with Mrs. 
A. Graff on the Plaza. 

WILLIAM BETH. 

As Mr. Beth came to Fort Scott in the latter part 
of 1842, at the age of one year, he holds the palm 
as being the oldest living inhabitant of the Plaza. 
His father, R. Beth, belonged to the 2nd Dragoons, 
then stationed at Fort Leavenworth. They were 
ordered to Fort Scott, in 1842. Capt. Nathaniel 
Boone commanded the company and they were 
quartered in the barracks on the northwest side of 
the Plaza. After twenty-five years of service in the 
regular army he was discharged and at once pre- 
empted 320 acres of land, three miles east of Stotes- 
bury, but at the opening of the Civil War, they 
moved back to Fort Scott, and Mr. Beth and a son 
joined the 6th Kansas, in which they served for four 
years. Mr. R. Beth and a son were buried in the old 
burial ground. 

William Beth was sixteen at the time of the Mont- 
gomery raid, to release Ben Rice, and stood behind 

83 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

the man who shot Mr. John Little. Mr. Beth is liv- 
ing in Fort Scott, hale and hearty, at eight-one years 
of age. He has the dates of the principal happen- 
ings in the old town, at his tongue's end. He has, 
at this time, nine living children. 

GEN. C. W. BLAIR. 

G. W. Blair came to Fort Scott in 1859, and form- 
ed a law partnership with A. Ellison. He was a man 
of great energy and made his presence felt at once, 
and dm-ing the time he hved here. Politically, he 
was a Free State Democrat, and, after the war 
broke out. a war Democrat. He was one of the 
first to answer the call for troops, by raising the 
first company in Fort Scott. He was Major, and 
was promoted to Lieut.-Golonel in the 2nd Kansas 
Cavalry. He later raised a company which was 
named "Blair's Battery" (2nd Kansas Battery.) He 
was also breveted Brigadier General. He followed 
L. Jewell as Post Commander of Fort Scott, which 
position he held until the close of the war. 

One of the officers' quarters on the Plaza, was 
bought by him and was occupied as his residence 
during his stay here. Blair Avenue was named for 
him. 

J. CALDWELL. 

Two wagons loaded with his family of seven, and 
his household goods, brought J. Caldwell to Fort 
Scott, December 12th, 1858. As there was no house 
to rent, he bought two lots and a log house, at what 
is now the corner of Little and Wall streets, from C. 
B. Wingfield, who was leaving for Texas. Mr. 
Caldwell proved up on a claim just east of these lots 
and went into farming. 

84 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

He followed Mr. Wingfield as mail carrier over 
the five routes out of Fort Scott, viz: Osage Mission, 
Westpoint, Missouri; Crawford Seminaiy (Presby- 
terian Indian School,) Mapleton, and Marmaton. 
His son, Tom, then 12 years old, carried the mail to 
Osage Mission, with permission from Washington. 
Of course these mails were carried on horseback, 
the roads then not allowing it to be carried by 
wagon. 

Mr. Caldwell left a son, Thomas, of this city, and 
a daughter, Mrs. J. Lambert, of Bakersfield, Cal- 
ifornia. 

J. S. CALKINS. 

Mr. Calkins seems to have gone directly into bus- 
iness here, upon arrival from New York, in 1857, 
for he immediately built himself a frame store 
building on Bigler St.,near Weir. This business was 
somewhat varied, clothing, agent for a New^ York 
Commission firm, and agent for the American 
Tract and Bible Society. He supplied Bibles, hymn 
books and other books for the Sunday School, then 
held in the Post hospital on the Plaza. He with Mrs. 
A. McDonald and Mrs. Wm. Smith were the first 
members of the Presbyterian Church, when organ- 
ized in 1859, and he was made an elder. He left 
Fort Scott soon after the war. 

W. T. CAMPBELL. 

In 1857, Mr. Campbell and his family started for 
Kansas in three covered wagons. He also brought 
with him a herd of blooded stock. They stopped at 
Leavenworth for three or four months, and later 
came on down to Barnesville. In January, a dele- 
gation went to Barnesville, to pursuade him to come 

85 



THE WHY OV FORT SCOTT 

to Fort Scott and take charge of the Free State 
Hotel, which he did and soon after his arrival, gave 
an opening ball at the hotel. Amusements were 
few in those early days and a ball was quite an 
event. It was not long before he was appointed U. 
S. Marshal, an office that was nothing of a sine- 
cure in those lawless times; as example, the trouble 
with Brockett, in this same hotel, during his pro- 
prietorship, spoken of elsewhere. 

He pre-empted a homestead, where now is Athlet- 
ic Park, and built his home (here. When the war 
broke out, he organized a company which later 
made part of the famous 6th Cavalry. After the 
war, Mr. Campbell returned to his fruit farming. 
He died November 9th, 1877, on the land he home- 
steaded. 

A. H. CAMPBELL. 

A. H. Campbell came with his father. W. T. Camp- 
bell, in 1857, to Fort Scott, to do his part in blazing 
the trail to future prosperity for the little town, and, 
like the other young men, he put his whole energy 
into growing up with it; and, incidentally, doing all 
in his power to keep the town a little ahead, that 
he might have something to grow up to. Mr. Camp- 
bell was a member of the 6th Kansas Cavalry. He 
had a horse killed under him at Cane Hill, was taken 
prisoner and sent to Little Rock. There some resi- 
dent asked the privilege of keeping him. Lieuten- 
ant Campbell asked him on his release why he was 
so kind to him. He replied that a nephew recog- 
nized him as a captor of his, the nephew, in an ear- 
lier skirmish. In the morning Lieut. Campbell, 
passing the squad of prisoners asked them if they 
had had any breakfast. On their reply in the nega- 
tive, Lieut. Campbell said, "All right I will see that 

86 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

you get some,"-cast your bread upon the waters. 

One night while in Little Rock, his host asked 
Lieut. Campbell if he might put another person in 
his room for the night. He made a pallet on the 
floor and brought in, much to Lieut. Campbeirs 
surprise, Quantrell. The recognition v/as mutual. 
Quantrell said: "If I had taken you prisoner, I 
would have had you shot." Lieut. Campbell said: 
"O, you are joking." Quantrell replied very em- 
phatically, "Yes I would." 

In 1863 Lieut. Campbell raised a company, which 
was joined to the 14th Kansas Cavalry. Later he 
was placed on Gen. Thayer's staff at Fort Smith, 
as assistant Inspector of the Frontier District. He 
was living at the time of his death on part of the 
land homesteaded by his father, and was carrying 
on his father's work, fruit farming. 

Mr. Campbell and B. P. McDonald built a one- 
room house, about where the Berner Building now 
stands. They were to do the work, and C. W. Good- 
lander was to do the "bossing." Both of them were 
afraid to climb a ladder, Mr. Goodlander says he 
had to do most of the work, and they the "bossing." 
Wm. Smith lived in this house, while he was build- 
ing his own house on Scott Avenue. Mr. Campbell's 
three children, Robert B., George, and Alberta, are 
now living in Fort Scott. 

ALFRED COSTON. 

Mr. Coston came first to Mound City, in 1859, 
with all his family and goods loaded in one one- 
horse and one two horse wagon. The drough 
making the claim he had pre-empted almost worth- 
less, he came to Fort Scott the next year. One of 
the first things he found to do, was the plastering of 
Wm. Smith's house. He did any and everything he 

87 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

could find to do, and succeeded so well that he was 
soon able to buy a home. At that time, he wrote to 
his brother that he thought, to be a good American 
one must own a bit of a home. While living near 
where the Frisco station now is a company of sol- 
diers came in after a skirmish, tired and hungry. 
The townspeople undertook to satisfy their hunger, 
and minister to their comforts. Mrs. Coston baked 
biscuits for a squad, and Mrs. D. Bayless says she 
remembers hearing her mother say, "Now these 
are the last. I have baked up a whole sack of flour 
and there is the empty sack." 

Five of Mr. Coston's children are now living: 
Porter, of Seattle; Dr. Wm. A., of Topeka; Mrs. Do 
Bayless, of Springfield, Mo.; Frank, of Aspin, Colo.; 
and Frederick, of Coffeyville, Kansas. 

Dr. J. H. COUCH. 

Dr. Couch, wife and two children, came here in 
1857, accompanied by his father-in-law, J. Andrick, 
wife and four children. They came in two wagons 
and a carriage, from Wisconsin. D. Andrick, a son, 
opened the first drug store in town, in a small frame 
house, second door north from the northeast corner 
of Weir and Williams streets. The doctor and fam- 
ily first lived in the old Post barracks next the hos- 
pital. The first thing Mrs. Couch did, was to burn 
the bunks, a leftover from the old barrack days. 
She then proceeded to make beds on the floor, for 
the family. The doctor homesteaded 160 acres 
which covered in part Bridalveil Park, and put up, 
at first, a one-room log house near Potters Grove. 

For a long time he and Dr. A. G. Osbun were the 
only physicians for miles around. Sometimes they 
rode as far as Nevada, Mo., to see a patient. During 
the Border Troubles, some of the turbulent element 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

threatened "to get" Dr. Couch, but he went on visit- 
ing his patients in both factions, unafraid, as all 
these pioneer men were. During this time, any man 
who arrayed himself positively on either side, took 
his life in his hands. 

Two daughters, Mrs. Maida Chapman and Mrs. 
V. Harkey, and one son, 0. D. Couch, are still living. 

G. A. CRAWFORD. 

G. A. Crawford came west from Washington, D. 
C, in 1857, and at Lawrence met N. Eddy, D. H. 
Weir and E. W. Holbrook. All of these men were 
looking for a promising location for a town-site. 
Hearing of Fort Scott and the number of new arri- 
vals since its abandonment as a fort, they concluded 
to visit the place. Finding it a "likely" place, they 
decided to form a Town Company and proceed to 
business. Mr. Crawford allied himself with the 
Free State party but made many and close friends 
among those who were from the south, and who 
were, of course, politically in sympathy with the 
south. Mr. Crawford's acquaintances were among 
the noted men of the country but he was as much 
at home in a squatter's cabin as in the center of 
Washington society; but his inclinations were for 
business and not pohtics, and the west offered a 
good field in that line. 

He was, during his residence here, one of the 
leaders in keeping the town free as possible from 
the rougher elements of both parties, and uphold- 
ing the hands of the conservative in both. He built 
the first flour mill in southern Kansas. Later he 
built a woolen mill for the manufacture of cloth, 
perhaps the first one west of the Mississippi River. 
Also, he built the first foundry and machine shop. 
In 1876, President Grant appointed him Commis- 

89 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

sioner from Kansas to the Centennial Fair in Phil- 
adelphia. Losing his woolen mill and flour mill by 
fire, and suffering losses in his other ventures, dur- 
ing the hard times in the 70's, he concluded to go 
further west. He founded Grand Junction, Colo., 
and there retrieved his lost fortune. There he died 
Jan. 29, 1891. For more about this able man, see 
C. W. Goodlander's "Early Days of Fort Scott." 

WILLIAM DOREY. 

Mr. Dorey came to Pittsburg, Penn., by canal; 
from there to Kansas City by boat. His intention 
was to remain in Kansas City, but meeting Mr. 
Goodlander and Mr. McDonald, they both told him 
that there w^as great need of a blacksmith in the 
little town of Fort Scott. He then concluded to 
move down, and arrived here in 1859. His lot on 
which he built his blacksmith shop ran from the 
alley north w^est of the junction of Bigler and Weir 
streets to a little past the middle of what is now the 
Y. M. C. A. Building. Shortly after Weir street was 
opened to the east. Before this, Locust (First) St. 
was the only street opened across Buck Run. W^hen 
the street was opened, Mr. Dorey's shop faced Weir 
about where the Herbert paint shop is. 

After his marriage to Miss Eunice 
Tincher he built a house on the same lot 
facing northwest. From their front door they 
could see the soldiers drilling on the Plaza. 
When the war opened, the Government 
requisitioned his shop, and during the rest of 
the war, he worked for the Government. In 1864, 
he moved into a house which stood where the 
Dorey duplex now^ stands. When they moved in, 
most of the window panes were shattered or 
cracked from the firing of the cannon in the block 

90 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

house (Fort Henning) which stood on the corner 
of National Avenue and Second street. He left one 
son, C. Dorey, of this city. 

C. F. DRAKE. 

In 1858, a young man came into town on foot, 
dusty and worn. Liking the looks of the town, he 
decided to stay and open a tin shop. His only pos- 
sessions were $100.00 in silver, a heavy gold chain 
given him by his brother, and a big silver watch. 
He was a slender, rather dapper-looking young man 
and the boys looked upon him as something of a 
tender-foot, until one day, he outdid the huskiest 
of them in holding an iron bar at arm's length. 
That feat gave him entrance into their circle of 
"the boys." There were two ways of "winning in" 
to society — money and muscle, and Mr. Drake took 
the latter way. 

From the first, he worked to make this a good 
town; his ideas were sound and well-balanced — a 
man always to be depended upon. While on the 
school board, he was the means of having the Post 
hospital fitted up for school purposes. He intro- 
duced and pushed through the Legislature, the act 
allowing the location of a county seat by the vote 
of the people. He built the first cement works; was 
one of the men to establish the First National Bank, 
in fact, he was active in all forward movements for 
the betterment of the town. Mr. Drake lived in a 
small house that he had moved to his lot on Wil- 
liams (Main) St., and where he later built the 
Drake Building. Mr. Drake left no children. 

H. ERNICH. 

H. Ernich, wdth his wife and one son, came in 
91 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

1863. He entered the grocery business, upon his 
arrival, and also did contracting for the quarter- 
master's department of the army. His son, H. C. 
Ernich, is one of our prominent business men. 

S. B. FAREWELL. 

Mr. Farewell came here the same year that Rich- 
ard Stadden came, and went into partnership with 
him, in both law office and the saw mill in Rock- 
ford Valley. He was the second County Attorney, 
1861. He was the Grandfather of Mrs. O. A. 
Cheney, Sr. 

WILLIAM GALLEGHER. 

Mr. Gallegher was one of the early settlers, com- 
ing in 1857, and was one of Fort Scott's most ac- 
tive young men. He was post master, and while 
in office, moved the post office from the lobby of 
the Free State Hotel to the Town Company's build- 
ing on Bigler St. It was while fixing these rooms 
for the office, that C. W. Goodlander earned $3.00 
a day for ten days, and felt rich when pay day came 
around. 

Mr. Gallegher gave five acres of land outside the 
town limits to the Catholic Church, the Town Com- 
pany having given the same amount within these 
limits. He was a war democrat, and served his post- 
mastership under President Buchanan. 

C. W. GOODLANDER. 

The year 1858, that brought C. W. Goodlander 
to Fort Scott, was one long to be remembered by the 
early residents. It marked the beginning of stage 
travel between Kansas City and Fort Scott, and Mr. 

92 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Goodlander was one of the first passengers landed 
at the Free State Hotel, by that route. We, in this 
day of fast travel by rail, etc., can hardly conceive 
of what an event it was in this little town of south- 
eastern Kansas; it opened the outside world to the 
people, and put them ahead twenty-five years. Let- 
ters came from "back home" three times a week, 
newspapers were only three days old. Fort Scott 
must have felt herself in the seventh heaven. I 
wonder if any one of us would like to take that trip 
as Mr. Goodlander describes it in his "Early Days 
of Fort Scott." 

Right here, we Fort Scotters, have never been 
grateful enough for his little book. Written in a 
happy-go-lucky style, (very typical of its author) it 
puts one right back into the atmosphere of the old 
town; it shows us the nerve and push of all those 
young men, whom we later knew as staid and digni- 
fied business men. 

His Trip. 

He started from the stage office in Kansas City, 
drove along Main St., to 13th St., then cross-lots to 
Grand Avenue, on to Westport, thence to Shaw- 
nee. There they must have crossed the river 
at Grinter's Ferry, thence over the prairie to 
Squiresville, where they stopped for a dinner of salt 
pork, beans, dried apples and coffee. Then on to 
Osawatomie, where they stayed over night. Next 
morning they started early and reached Moneka, in 
time for another dinner, this time all of vegetables, 
as this was a vegetarian community. Then on to 
Fort Scott, crossing the Marmaton River at the Mil- 
itary Ford. When the stage drew up in front of the 
hotel, everyone was out to see the new arrivals and 
the wonderful stage that brought them. 

93 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Mr. Goodlander did almost any kind of work at 
first, but mostly in the carpentry line. Soon, he 
was able to build himself a shop, and to branch out 
as a contractor. From then on, he had a hand in 
most of the buildings erected in the next few years. 
The three most notable ones were a house for A. 
McDonald on the corner of Williams and Locust 
streets, the Presbyterian church, and the City Hall. 
He was interested and identified in many of the 
business undertakings, and later became one of our 
leading financiers. In 1901, Mr. Goodlander, among 
the many other things he did for the improvement 
of the town, gave the east half of the house in which 
the Wilson family had lived ever since Mr. Wilson 
had bought it at Government sale in 1855, to the 
trustees of the "Children's Home" for their use. 
The following year, an entertainment was given 
from which $1,000.00 were reahzed and the west 
half of the building was purchased, thus giving the 
children a large roomy home. The Home is non- 
sectarian, and is supported by an appropriation 
from the state, and monthly donations from the 
merchants, and others of the town. Their charter 
is dated January 17, 1903. 

His widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Goodlander, was the 
second child born on the Plaza. She has always 
been an active worker in the D. A. R.'s and in every- 
thing pertaining to the history of the town. The 
cornpiler is indebted to her for much of the mater- 
ial in this little book, giving locations, and for illu- 
minating incidents in the early life of the commu- 
nity, and much other help. 

CAPT. JOHN HAMILTON. 

In 1842, Serg. Hamilton, of the 1st U. S. Dragoons, 
then stationed at Fort Wayne, Cherokee Nation, 

94 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

(Arkansas) came with a contingent of one 
hundred and twenty men and three officers 
in search of a location for a cantonment 
to be placed on the newly surveyed Mil- 
iary Road running from Fort Leavenworth to Fort 
Gibson. The contingent left Fort Wayne May 26, 
1842, under the command of Capt. B. D. Moore, 
and reached a point just across the Missouri border, 
and camped for the night on Col. Wm. Douglas' 
farm. Next morning the officers mounted their 
horses, and, guided by Col Douglas, came to view 
the ideal spot for a cantonment, as described to 
them the evening before, by the Colonel. 

The little company was marched over, and 
pitched camp at once, May 30, 1842, on 
the "ideal spot," the point of the Plaza. Capt. 
Moore and the other officers left at once to bring 
two more companies of 1st Dragoons, (likely sta- 
tioned at Fort Leavenworth) to assist in building the 
cantonment. They left Serg. Hamilton in charge. 
On Capt. Moore's return he assumed command of 
the Post. The second commandant was Major Wm. 
M. Graham. The honor of felling the first tree for 
their log barracks, fell to Serg. Hamilton. He su- 
perintended the erection of the permanent buildings 
also, completed in 1843. At this time the name was 
changed from Camp Scott to Fort Scott. 

Later, Serg. Hamilton was ordered to Jassup, La. 
On the expiration of his term of service, 1855, he 
returned, to reside permanently in Fort Scott. In 
1859, he was made captain of the first company of 
militia that was raised during the "Border Trouble." 
In 1865, he moved to Sheridan Township, Craw- 
ford county, Kansas, and was sent from there to 
the Legislature in 1868. He died in Independence, 
Kansas, February 26, 1876. 

95 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

G. H. HAYNES. 

C. H. Haynes and family came to Fort Scott in 
1858. His first interest was in the saw mill at the 
foot of Birch street, which he later moved to the 
north bank of the Marmaton River. Later he en- 
gaged in the grocery business, in which he contin- 
ued till his death. Farming also attracted him, 
later in life, though he continued to reside in town, 
running the farm on the shares. 

MRS. G. H. HAYNES. 

Mrs. Haynes and her husband started from Ohio, 
to make a home for themselves in southwest Mis- 
souri, but while stopping at Springfield, Mo., they 
witnessed a public auction of slaves. They at once 
decided to go on to Kansas, where there was more 
likelihood of finding a state free from the incubus 
of slavery. They were overjoyed at their first sight 
of the Plaza, and thankful that they had changed 
their minds and come further west. At a meeting 
held the evening after their arrival, "noses were 
counted" and it was found that there was an equal 
number of Free State and Pro-Slavery men in the 
town. There were only 150 people in Fort Scott at 
that time. 

Their first home was an unfinished frame house 
on the corner of Bigler St. and Lincoln Avenue, with 
no windows, doors or chimney, and they had to put 
the cook stove in the yard. Mr. Haynes had 
to hold an umbrella over the stove to protect the 
cooking food when it rained. They heard of a box 
of glass that could be had at Osage Mission, and sent 
for it. All the glass was too large, and had to be cut 
down. Later they moved to a log house on the east 
side of Buck Run, near what is now First and Mar- 

96 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

grave streets. Mrs. A. Campbell tells of a time when 
Mr. and Mrs. Haynes and the baby were all sick 
with malaria. It had been arranged that if neither 
of them was able to be up, they were to hang out a 
signal, a white cloth, which would be seen from the 
Smith home on Scott Avenue, and some of them 
would go over and assist them. Mrs. Campbell, 
then so small that she had to stand on a stool to 
work at the table, would go over and wash dishes 
and help with the baby. In those days neighbors 
were neighbors in deed as well as in propinquity. 
At one time Mrs. Haynes was in bed too ill to move 
about the room, she saw a rattlesnake in the chinks 
of the wall, but much to her relief it decided to 
come no further, and turned and crawled away. 

Mrs. Haynes taught one of the first schools in an 
upstairs room of the Calkins building on Bigler St. 
There was just a pathway leading from her house 
through the brush to the Plaza and Bigler St. Mrs. 
Haynes had come from a family where books were 
plentiful, and intellectual pursuits were a matter of 
course, and she continued to be interested in all 
things pertaining to education. She was one of the 
organizers of the first club in the city. Being as en- 
thusiastic in her church work, she was one of the 
first members of the Episcopal Church, and often 
acted as lay-reader, when no rector was in charge, 
and thus kept the interest in the church and Sunday 
School from lagging. 

Two daughters, Mrs. Redd, of California, and 
Mrs. B. Phillips of Springfield, Mo., are living. 

LIEUT. COL. L. R. JEWELL. 

Colonel Jewell came to Kansas, settling on a claim 
near Arcadia and began his farm life in 1859. His 
plans for a large colonization on these claims came 

97 



THPJ WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

to naught when the Civil war broke out and absorb- 
ed all of his attention. He was elected captain of 
Co. D of the Frontier Battahon in 1861. In Au- 
gust he was mustered into service as Lieut. Col. of 
the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, then stationed at Fort 
Scott. 

It was while commanding the Sixth Kansas Cav- 
alry after the Drywood skirmish that Gen. J. Lane, 
leaving him in command of Fort Scott, gave him 
the order to burn the town. Colonel Jewell's reply 
was very characteristic of him. He said: "When 
General Price begins the occupancy of the town, it 
shall be burned." 

During the winter of 1861-62 the Sixth maintain- 
ed their headquarters in the town. In the spring the 
Sixth Kansas Cavalry took part in the Baxter 
Springs, Grand River, Fort Gibson, and Tahlequah 
campaigns. 

In November the Sixth took part in the Cane Hill 
battle. Near the close of the day. General Blunt 
called for volunteer officers to lead a cavalry charge. 
Colonel Jewell promptly responded. They captur- 
ed the battery but for want of infantry support, the 
enemy recaptured it. It was then that the Colonel 
had his horse shot from under him and was mor- 
tally wounded and taken prisoner. 

He died November 30th, 1862, and his remains 
were buried in the National cemetery, with all mil- 
itary honors. In 1903 they were removed to the 
Arcadia cemetery. 

B. LITTLE. 

The year after Fort Scott was abandoned as a 
government post, B. Little decided to add himself 
and family to the then very small town. He came 
in November, 1854. Just across Marmaton Avenue 

98 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

from the Free State Hotel where the H. R. Roberts 
cottage now stands, was a long frame house built 
for quartermaster's stores, and used in 1854 for a 
store, owned by a Kansas City firm, and run by a 
man by the name of Myers. Mr. Little bought out 
the store soon after his arrival, paying $1,200.00. A 
few days after the purchase, Myers gave out that the 
purchase money had been stolen from him, while 
he was at a dance at the Free State Hotel. When 
asked by Mr. Little, whether he knew who stole it, 
Myers replied, "Yes." naming a man, Jones, a 
blacksmith, and showed Little the tracks in the 
snow. Jones had been past that place, to get his 
washing from a cabin nearby. Myers persuaded 
some of his friends to take Jones out and string him 
up to make him confess. Jones reiterated his de- 
nial of the theft. The third time the men started 
to run him up, John Little took out his pistol and 
said: "The first man who touches Jones, I will 
shoot dead. He never stole that money, I am con- 
vinced." Little wrote to the Kansas City owner of 
the store about the theft and asked him to send an 
officer to meet this Myers and search him. He, 
Myers, was leaving with his wife, and they could be 
intercepted on the Military Road. This was done, 
and the money w^as found, sewed up in Mrs. Myer's 
quilted petticoat. 

Mr. Little continued in this store until the war 
broke out, when he moved back to Alabama where 
he died. It was in this store that John Little, a son, 
was killed at the time of the Rice trouble, as told 
under the caption, "Border Troubles." John Little 
was the first U. S. Marshall 

Mrs. Mary Brumley, a daughter of B. Little, was 
just buried in Fort Scott, aged 82 years. 



99 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

J. G. MILLER. 

Mr. Miller had made a visit here in 1858, and find- 
ing Fort Scott all that was to be desired, decided to 
come back, make a home, and start in business. The 
fall of the next year, 1859, saw his project realized. 
He first lived in one of the officer's quarters on the 
Plaza. In 1863, he put up the Miller Block, corner 
of Williams and Weir Sts. This was then consid- 
ered one of the finest business houses in the state. 
He was a member of the Legislature in 1863. His 
ideas on temperance were very strong and he would 
often stand on the street corner and give a talk on 
the subject. It took considerable courage in those 
days to take such a stand. Once while talking to 
rather a rougher group than usual, they threatened 
to hang him, indeed starting off with him, when 
some of the more conserv ative element interf erred. 

His wife, Sarah, was probably the fourth member 
of the Presbyterian Church, as she came here in 
September and the church was organized in Novem- 
ber, and she joined a few months after. She was 
active with Mrs. A. McDonald and Mrs. Wm. Smith 
in the organization of the Union Sunday School. 
She would go after the children and bring them to 
the Sunday School room in the Post hospital to 
make sure of their attendance. 

Two children, Mary, and Charles F., are now res- 
idents of Fort Scott. 

J. S. MILLER. 

1860 was the date of arrival of Mr. Miller, and his 
family of seven. A house on Williams St., about 
where the Liepman Clothing store now stands was 
their first home. He went at once into the hardware 
business, opening a store on Bigler street. He was 

100 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

at one time mayor of the town. 

His daughter, Mrs. Ella Henderson, of Pendleton, 
Oregon, and a step daughter, Mrs. Anna E. Baldwin, 
of this city, are still living. 

A. McDonald. 

A. McDonald was probably, with the exception 
of H. T. Wilson, the most prominent business man 
of early Fort Scott. One of his earliest ventures, 
w^as to build his own store building, a long frame 
structure, running from Scott Avenue back to the 
alley. One room faced Scott Avenue, the other 
faced Weir Street. In the Scott Avenue room he 
opened a general store, in fRe other a bank. He 
did freighting in connection with his mercantile 
business. The "McDonald Bank" was later organ- 
ized as the "First National Bank." He built the 
second residence to be erected outside the Plaza, 
corner of Williams and Locust Sts. Mr. McDonald 
went from here to Little Rock, Ark., in 1867. Later 
he was congressman from that state. 

B. P. McDonald. 

B. p. McDonald was only seventeen when he 
came with his two brothers, A. and J. McDonald, to 
Fort Scott to try his fortune and to grow up w4th 
the country. He took up a timber claim at once, sell- 
ing the logs to the saw mill where he worked part of 
the time. The lumber business proved profitable and 
he was soon able to get into the mercantile busi- 
ness with his brother, and was associated with him 
in the second bank that w^as formed. He was also 
interested in railroad promotion and building and 
followed that line in his later years. He was con- 
nected with a railroad in connection with Fort 

101 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Scott, but later sold it to the Fort Scott and Gulf 
Rairoad. He served in most of the companies 
raised for the protection of the town during the 
border troubles, and later during the Civil War. 

His marriage to Miss Emma Johnson, and that 
of Miss Anna Johnson to Mr. G. Judson were the 
first weddings to take place among the prominent 
people of the community. As they wanted to be 
married by a minister and as there was none here at 
that time, they , with J. Ray and Miss Sallie Wil- 
liams Allison, drove over to Squire Redfield's 
(about 12 miles east) and were married by Dr. Mel- 
lick. Mr. McDonald left three sons, now hving: 
Gharles and Benjamin, of Kansas City, and Wil- 
liam, of Cleburne, Texas. 

JOHN McDonald. 

J. McDonald came to Fort Scott with his two 
brothers in 1857, but remained only a short time, 
returning to St. Louis, to a farm of an uncle. 

Later, he bought a farm near there, but sold it 
and came to Fort Scott in 1864, and went into the 
cattle business. In 1865, he bought the house on 
the corner of Wilhams and Hickory Sts., where his 
daughter. Miss Fannie McDonald still lives. The 
front rooms and hall were added later. 

He was mayor of this city, in 1868. He left two 
daughters, Mrs. Jas. Moulton and Miss Fannie, 
both residents of this city. 

E. L. MARBLE. 

Mr. Marble's coming to Fort Scott is described 
under the heading "Modes of Travel." Mr. Marble 
still makes this city his home, as do his two sons, 
Frank and George, and his daughter, Alice W. Mar- 

102 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

ble. George W. Marble is and has been for a number 
of years, editor and owner of the Fort Scott Trib- 
une. One son, Edward, lives in Oklahoma. 

JUDGE WILLIAM MARGRAVE. 

Judge Margrave came to Fort Scott, November 
7, 1854. He was appointed Justice of the Peace, by 
Gov. A. H. Reeder — the first appointment issued in 
the Territory of Kansas. He died, September 29, 
1904. Had he lived until December, he would have 
held the office for fifty consecutive years. In his ca- 
pacity, he administered justice impartially and una- 
fraid, but the decisions were always prompted by a 
kind heart and much human sympathy. At one 
time he held four offices — Justice of the Peace, 
Clerk of the Court, Probate Judge and Police Judge. 
These offices sought him and not he the office. He 
seemed pecuharly fitted to fill such offices and the 
growing town has well appreciated his services. 

He lived first, in a log house that stood near the 
Plaza School, one of the original houses built as 
temporary quarters by the soldiers, when they came 
in 1842. This house was the only one not burned 
when the soldiers moved into their permanent 
quarters on the Plaza. Mrs. E. J. Rollings of this city 
was bom in that house. The Judge later bought 
the Free State Hotel and lived there until his death. 
Mrs. Rollings has the parlor furniture of the hotel, 
acquired with the house. The furniture consists of a 
walnut tete-a-tete, a rocking chair, and six smaller 
chairs. 

Two daughters, Mrs. E. J. Rollings of this city, 
and Mrs. M. F. Gregg, of Wichita, Kansas, are still 
living. 

R. H. MOFFETT. 

R. H. Moffett came, with his mother, to Kansas 

103 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

City from Ohio, in 1859, and in the spring of 1860 
came on down to Fort Scott. He homesteaded a 
farm eight miles northeast of town where he lived 
until his death in April, 1919. He enUsted in 1861 
in Campany B, 6th Kansas Cavalry and served 
during the war. 

The four children now living are : W. W. Mof f ett, 
Jesse, and Mrs. A. West, of Fort Scott, and J. A. 
Moffett, of Fulton, Kansas. 

A. J. OSBUN. 

Dr. Osbun, while on a visit to Gov. Shannon, his 
brother-in-law, at Topeka, came down to Fort Scott 
to visit Judge Williams, and liking the looks of the 
little village, consisting then of the buildings around 
the Plaza, concluded to come back the next spring 
and make a home. When he came, in the spring of 
1858, two sons, Samuel and Charles, came with him. 
The next 3^ear, his dauhter, Salhe, and a son, Albert, 
came; and in 1860, Mrs. Osbun, a daughter, Fannie, 
and a son, William, joined him. He bought a claim 
of 160 acres from a squatter, on which the family 
are still living. He also took up a claim on Dry- 
wood and later bought the farm, now the Glen 
Campbell farm, adjoining the home place. He prac- 
ticed medicine, besides the farming, as his boys were 
large enough to help with the latter. 

Dr. Osbun died in 1862. Four children are now 
living: Sallie and William of the home place, Sam- 
uel of Garden City, Kansas, and Mrs. Fannie Garrett 
of Salt Lake, Utah. 

HOMER POND. 

Homer Pond came here in 1862 with the 3rd Wis- 
consin Cavalry, in which were also his two brothers. 

104 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

He was here during the rest of the war and on being 
mustered out, a lieutenant, remained in Fort Scott. 
He went into a saw mill with J. Ury, down on Dry- 
wood, later going into other business. He was post 
master in 1891. His widow and one son, Elmer, 
live in Muskogee, Okla., a daughter, Mrs. Barsfield, 
in Kansas City, Mo.; Wilham, in Wichita, Kansas; 
and Charles in Peoria, 111. 

GEORGE F. POND. 

In 1862, the three Pond brothers, J. B., Homer 
W., and George F., came here with the Third Wis- 
consin Cavalry. J. B. was mustered in as captain, 
and mustered out as major. Homer, as sergeant, 
and discharged as lieutenant. George preferred the 
varied life of a scout and of course missed promo- 
tion. He often rode from Fort Scott to Fort Gib- 
son, 175 miles, carrying his own provisions, there 
being no place between the two forts where he could 
get supplies of any kind. 

It was he and his comrades who saw the 19 Un- 
ion prisoners that H. Taylor, the bushwhacker, held 
while trying to rob and burn L. L. Ury's house on 
Drywood. Taylor, seeing these scouts coming up, 
abandoned his prisoners and fled, but not before he 
had fatally wounded Mr. Ury. Mr. Pond and his 
two comrades were pubHcly cited for bravery by 
General Blair. His children are: Mrs. Dr. Powell, 
Sacramento, Calif.; Mrs. E. A. Farrington, Barstow, 
Calif.; Mrs. J. Lynn, San Pedro, Calif.; Herbert, 
Fresno, Calif.; Dr. Gene, of Kansas City, Mo. His 
widow and son, Frank live in Fort Scott. 

JOSEPH RAY. 

Mr. Ray first saw Fort Scott, in 1857, a little vil- 

105 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

lage built around the four sides of a square. He 
must have been somewhat astonished to see, not 
ordinary log-cabins, incident to a far-western town, 
but large substantial two-story houses, fronted with 
wide balconies, and facing a grassy square. 

He was the first Mayor of the town, and to him, 
as Mayor, in 1860, was sent the land-patent for Fort 
Scott. This patent was signed by Abraham Lincoln. 
When first here, he clerked for H. T. Wilson, and 
later Mr. Wilson took him and S. B. Gordon into 
partnership. Their store was on Bigler street, and 
the firm was known as Wilson, Gordon & Ray. 
These two young men were twins, as to age, and 
were close friends till Mr. Ray's death in 1869. After 
his marriage with Virginia Wilson, daughter of his 
partner, he built a house on the lot where the Ma- 
sonic Temple now stands. 

DR. J. S. REDFIELD. 

Dr. J. S. Redfield came here with his wife and 
one daughter in 1859. Soon after his coming he 
built a two-story frame house on the lot where the 
Marble building now stands. In the front room of 
this building he opened the third drug store and set- 
tled his family on the second floor. He began the 
practice of medicine, the drug store being a side 
line. Later he bought the house at the corner of 
Third and Main streets, in which he died and where 
his wife lived until she died in 1916. There is an 
adopted son still living. 

WILLIAM SMITH. 

With his wife and two children, Mr. Smith left 
Lockhaven, Pa., in May, 1858, for their long jour- 
ney to the then Territory of Kansas. They came by 

106 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

rail to Pittsburgh, Pa., from there down the Ohio, 
and up the Missouri rivers by boat to Kansas City, 
and by stage from there to Fort Scott. They saw a 
familiar, welcoming face, when they stepped from 
the stage in front of the Free State Hotel, that of E. 
A. Smith, their son, who had come the year before. 

Mr Smith and son edited the Fort Scott "Demo- 
crat" and continued the editorship until the break- 
ing out of the Civil War. It was at that time that 
the announcement was made that "Hereafter all 
party politics would be dropped and the paper de- 
voted to the upholding of the administration at 
Washington." 

When the Smiths first came, they lived in the one- 
room house on WilUams street, built by A. Camp- 
bell and B. P. McDonald. Afterwards, Mr. Smith 
built the first house outside of the Plaza, on the cor- 
ner of Locust and Scott Avenue, doing the work 
himself. As they could find no one to do the plas- 
tering, they put their carpents, which they had 
brought with them, on the walls instead of the 
floors, and thus were enabled to live with compar- 
ative comfort throughout the winter. Mr. A. Coston 
coming the next summer, plastered the house for 
Mr. Smith. The winter, 1859-60, was a warm one. 
Mrs. A. Campbell, nee Smith, says they ate Christ- 
mas dinner with the doors and windows open. 

After the war, Mr. Smith bought from the Gov- 
ernment, the block house. Fort Blair, and moved it 
onto the rear of his lot, for a carpenter shop, where 
it stood until Dr. W. S. McDonald (who is much in- 
terested in everything connected with the earlier 
days) in the true spirt of patriotism, had it moved to 
his lots on National Avenue, to preserve it to the 
town. The other two forts had been allowed to go 
to rack and ruin. They were so intimately connect- 
ed with the defense of Fort Scott during the Civil 
War, this remaining one should be preserved for 

107 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

all time, and we should all be very grateful to Dr. 
McDonald for his foresight in having it preserved. 
Mr. Smith held positions of trust, and was among 
the workers who foresaw the importance of the 
town, and worked hard for its upbuilding. 

MRS. WM. SMITH. 

Mrs. Jane Smith, lovingly known by all the town 
as Aunt Jane, was as good and devoted worker in 
her church and all the things pertaining to the moral 
religious and social upgrowth of the town, as was 
her husband along his special lines, and loyally and 
ably supported him, as did all the women of this 
little community. Her sobriquet of Aunt Jane tells 
worlds in her favor. Mrs. Smith was one of the 
three organizers of the Presbyterian Church. 

E. A. SMITH. 

Mr. Smith reached Fort Scott in 1857, nearly a 
year before his father, Wm. Smith, came. He was 
a civil engineer and had just finished surveying a 
railroad in Wisconsin. Almost his first work here 
was with the Town Company, laying out the town- 
site. July 14, 1859, with his father, he began the 
editorship of the Fort Scott "Democrat," and contin- 
ued until the summer of 1861, when he entered the 
Frontier Guards. It was at this time that the name 
of the paper was changed to "The Western Volun- 
teer." Enlisting in the army, he served on Gen. 
J. Lane's staff, and was later Captain of the 2nd 
Kansas Battery, raised by C. W. Blair in 1862. He 
continued in the army until the close of the war, af- 
ter which he took up engineering again. In 1873 
he went to California, where he died in San Ber- 
nardino, in 1902. 

108 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 



I. STADDEN. 



With his father, Richard Stadden, he came to 
Fort Scott in 1857 . The father served in the Mex- 
ican War, and I. Stadden, being then 12 years old 
enlisted in the same regiment, 2nd Ohio. He was 
appointed drum-major ,and served under Gen. Scott 
from Vera Cruz to City of Mexico. After coming 
to Fort Scott, R. Stadden and S. B. Farewell opened 
a law office and also operated a saw mill in Rock- 
ford Valley. R. Stadden was county surveyor 
1860-64. 

After the war broke out, I. Stadden enlisted in the 
Home Guards and was later in the 6th Kansas Cav- 
alry as lieutenant. At the time of Price's raid, he 
raised a regiment, 24th Kansas Militia, being ap- 
painted Colonel of this regiment. At the close of 
the war, he went into the retail grocery business and 
later into the wholesale business. He was mayor 
in 1864. Of his three children, Leo, Lillian and 
Nellie (Mrs. L. Hart) Lillian, (Mrs. Wm. Prager) is 
the only one living and she still resides in this city. 

J. J. STEWART. 

In 1856, J. J. Stewart came here and took up a 
claim on Mill Creek. He belonged to the famous 6th 
Kansas Cavalry, and later raised a company, which 
he led through the Price raid. After the war, he 
represented Mill Creek district in the Kansas Legis- 
lature. Later, while county treasurer, he moved to 
Fort Scott and was interested in the State Bank. His 
three children, now living, are: Mrs. J. S. Turley, 
of this city; Mrs. Fronia Harley, of Portland, Ore.; 
and Mrs. Emma Dunkerton, of Bronson, Kansas. 

J. G. STUART. 
When Mr. Stuart came to Fort Scott, in 1857, the 

109 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

Plaza constituted the town, the only house outside 
that place being Fort Roach, a log house which stood 
on what is now National Avenue, near the corner of 
First street. 

Mr. Stuart built the first wagon shop. It was of 
walnut lumber, which he cut on his farm. He had 
taken up a claim before this, to which he returned 
after giving up the wagon shop, in 1862. Stuart's 
dam is on this claim. It was he, who swam across 
the Marmaton River, on a mule, when the river was 
running bankful, to get the mail. The carrier 
had brought the mail from Balltown, Bates county, 
Mo., the nearest post office, and was unable to bring 
it across the river, so Mr. Stuart volunteered to go 
after it. During the w^ar, Mr. Stuart was engaged in 
contracting for the government for the Commissary 
Department. He followed John Little as Deputy 
U. S. Marshal, and was Mayor of the city, in 1873. 

Mr. Stuart built the house that stands on the 
southwest corner of Main and Second sts., in 1861. 
Four of his children are now living: J. E., of this 
city; Charles, of Rapid City, S. D.; Frank, of Casper, 
Wyo.; and Mrs. G. Erway, of Chadron. 

JOHN WARNEKE. 

John Warneke's father belonged to the company 
that came here in 1842 from Fort Wayne. He was 
a stone mason and worked on the foundations of 
the government houses. 

He brought his wife to the fort and as no women 
were allowed to live in the barracks, he was per- 
mitted to put up a tent and his son John w^as born 
in the tent, 1849. Mr. Warneke lives now in 
Pleasanton. 

E. WIGGIN. 
Mr. Wiggin passed away February 2, 1918, at the 

no 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

age of 97. A year before his death he was as 
straight as an arrow, and did not look his years. 
His experience in the U. S. Army accounted for his 
erect carriage, and fine physique. He was with the 
Government surveying party sent out to survey and 
estabUsh the boundaries of Kansas. Stopping here 
after he was mustered out, 1854, he thought Fort 
Scott a good place to locate, so stayed. When he 
was married, there was not a house to be had ex- 
cept a log "cabin" (as he expressed it,) the windows 
of which were still in the making; but they moved 
in and made the best of it. They carried all their 
water from a spring about where Tenth street now 
is, or from the spring on the slope of the Plaza. 

He left five children, one of whom, Charles, lives 
on a farm just north of town. 

J. WILLIAMS. 

In 1857, Judge Williams was appointed Associate 
Justice of the Territorial Court, and sent to Fort 
Scott. His family consisted of wife and four sons. 
He was transferred to Memphis, Tenn., but during 
his last days returned to Fort Scott, where he died 
at the home of his son, K. Williams. Judge Wil- 
hams was something of a musician. With a fife he 
led the first Frontier Guards as far as Military Ford, 
on their way to Wyandotte, a bass drum adding a 
second to his efforts at martial music. He also 
played the fife for the first companies raised here, 
when they gathered for 4th of July parade, and 
drill in 1861. 

S. A. WILLIAMS. 

The subject of this sketch came to Fort Scott in 
May, 1855. His conveyance for family and house- 
ill 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

hold goods was a wagon, drawn by an ox-team. He 
had visited the towTi a month or two before, and had 
bought one of the officer's quarters on the Plaza. 
The year of his coming, he was elected to the Ter- 
ritorial Legislature from Bourbon County and was 
also elected by the Legislature, the first Probate 
Judge. In 1857, he was appointed Clerk of the U. 
S. District Court and served in that capacity as long 
as Kansas was a territory. He was incorporator in 
the first Town Company. About 1861, he moved 
to Leavenworth, and entered military service from 
there, but later came back to Fort Scott. 

His was one of the claims bought by the Town 
Company for the site of Fort Scott, and Williams 
(Main) street was named for him. He helped to 
form the Odd Fellow's Lodge, in 1866, and was the 
first presiding officer. He was president of the 
Osage Mission Town Company. Before coming to 
this town, he had joined the Doniphan Expedition, 
and with this company, made that famous march. 
Four of his children are now living: Mrs. A. R. Al- 
lison, and Charles, of Beloit, Kansas; John, of Col- 
orado; and Mrs. George Dulany, Hannibal, Mo. 

H. T. WILSON. 

Col. Hiero T. Wilson came to Fort Scott, Sept. 13, 
1843, from Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation, where he 
had been in business as post sutler since 1834. He 
bought an interest in the sutler's store here for 
$5,000.00, from J. Bugg, sole owner. Fort Gibson 
was then the only large fort south of Fort Leaven- 
worth; a full regiment of U. S. Infantry was station- 
ed there and it was the western terminus of the Mil- 
itary Road. This road branched at Fort Scott, run- 
ning west to Fort Gibson, and east to Fort Coffee, 
Arkansas. In an account, written for his children 

112 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

of his coming to Fort Scott, he says : "I found the 
officers and men quartered in one-story log houses, 
the chinks stopped with mud, the roofs of 3-foot 
clapboards, puncheon floors. They were all busy 
preparing to build permanent quarters." These 
temporary houses were back of the Plaza near 
where the Plaza school now stands. The Post was 
commanded by Maj. W. H. Graham. 

Col. Wilson had his bachelor quarters in a log 
house just across the ravine from the sutler's store. 
This establishment was presided over by his negro 
man who saw that he did not suffer for an3^ of the 
luxuries that this frontier post could supply. Col. 
Wilson says: "The post was a pleasant place, and 
the officers' families, though few, were sociable 
and neighborly." 

Mrs. Wilson came to the Post, as a bride, in Sep- 
tember, 1847. Col. Wilson had made her acquain- 
tance at one of his stopping places in Missouri, on 
his way to Philadelphia to buy supplies for his store. 
After the soldiers left the fort, it was some time be- 
fore there was a dentist nearer than Fort Lcnven- 
worth, or St. Louis. Mrs. Wilson, at one tiine, was 
suffering with what the doctor called "tic dolor- 
eaux," (neuralgia) and was advised by the doctor 
to have her teeth extracted. Thinking to get the 
best dentist in St. Louis Mr. Wilson set out on his 
journey — rode horseback to Booneville, took a boat 
there to St. Louis, got a dentist and returned the 
same way. After reaching here, the dentist asked 
to have plenty of ice on hand before he began his 
work. There was none to be had at the fort, (the 
foregoing winter was mild and no ice had been 
packed) so he sent to Leavenworth for it. Think of 
it, a four day's journey for ice. At one time there 
was no doctor within 25 miles, one of their slave 
boys met with an accident. Mrs. Wilson gave him 

113 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

emergency treatment until a doctor could :ome. 
When the doctor arrived he said: "Well Mr.. Wil- 
son, you have done all there is to be done." Peo- 
ple in the faraway frontier countries learned "first- 
aid treatment" from the necessity of the moment. 

When the government sold the Post houses, Col. 
Wilson bought the one where the "Goodlander 
Home" now is, for $300.00, sold the western half for 
$150.00 and moved into the east half where he lived 
until his death. His oldest daughter, Virginia, was 
the first white child born in Fort Scott. She mar- 
ried J. Ray, and, after his death, Wm. R. Robinson. 
They both died some years ago. Mr. Wilson's other 
daughters, both born here, Mrs. C. W. Goodlander 
and Mrs. T. F. Robley, are still residents of this city. 

MRS. JOHN THORNBURGH. 

Mrs. J. Thornburgh came here in 1860. Mr. 
Thornburgh died shortly afterwards, but his widow 
remained in Fort Scott. The oldest daughter, Eunice, 
married Mr. Wm. Dorey and the family lived with 
them in a house that Mr. Dorey built near his black- 
smith shop on Bigler street, between Lincoln Ave- 
nue and Weir street. Of the three daughters com- 
ing here with the mother, Mrs. Amada T. Hartman 
is the only one now living. 

L. L. URY. 

Lewis L. Ury came here in 1858, and settled on a 
farm in Drywood, then moved to a farm where 
Garland now stands, on which farm he was killed, 
(see "War Happenings, 1864.") Three of his chil- 
dren are now living: Mrs. Homer Pond, of Musgo- 
gee, Okla.; Mrs. O. Morris, Tecumsech, Kansas; Mrs. 
J. W. Withers, of Los Angeles, Calif, and L N. Ury, 

114 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

of Bedford, Va. Joseph, the oldest child was a Gov- 
ernment scout during the war. His sister, Mrs. 
Pond, then a young girl, often accompanied him on 
his scouting expeditions, meeting him at appointed 
rendevous with horses and provisions and helping 
him in many other ways. 

R. R. WOOD. 

Mr. Wood came to Fort Scott in the fall of 1859. 
They brought their belongings in two ox-team 
wagons, the wife and daughter, Mrs. W. W. Padgett, 
making the journey in a one horse chaise. The 
first winter he lived on a farm adjoining Redfield. 
He spent the winter cutting trees and hauUng them 
to the saw mill to be made into lumber for his two- 
room house that he built on the land he homestead- 
ed, 10 miles from Fort Scott, on the Humboldt 
road. He gave two acres for a burial ground, 
"Woodson's Cemetery," and his wife w^as the first 
to be buried there in 1861. 

He was County Commissioner in 1872-4. Mrs. 
Padgett remembers going with an ox-team to 
make a visit — rapid traveling. No danger of being 
hurled into the gutter with the vehicle on top. 
When they "came to town," Fort Scott, they forded 
the Marmaton a little east of the present bridge, and, 
oh ! the steep muddy bank on either side. The three 
children are Mrs. W. W. Padgett, of this city, J. G. 
Wood, of Visalia, Calif.; and Miss Adda Ross, who 
lives on a farm near Redfield, homesteaded by her 
mother in 1858. 

Most of these men were young when they came 
to Fort Scott. They came to make homes for them- 
selves; they stayed through the dark and depressing 
period of the border troubles; they faced the tribu- 
lations of the drouth; they answered the call to arms 

115 



THE WHY OF FORT SCOTT 

in '61, and they kept their faith in the town, through 
all the trials and setbacks incident to pioneer life; 
and most of them lived to see the little hamlet grow 
into a solid and prosperous town. They put Fort 
Scott on the map, and she seems likely to stay there 
if the push, the energy, and the go-after-and-get-it 
qualities of our young men of the present — 1921 — 
continue into the future generations. 

B. F. OTHICK. 

I feel that Mr. Othick should have a place among 
these biographical sketches as a reminder of what 
he did to restore the dear old Plaza and make it a 
pleasure ground for all of Fort Scott. 

In 1910 it was in a weed infested condition and 
an eyesore to the whole town, also a constant re- 
minder that the people had begun to forget its his- 
toric value. In places the weeds were as high as 
one's head, the trees untrimmed for years, were a 
ragged mass; the band stand gone to ruin and not 
a path within the whole enclosure. 

His first work was to get the council to let him 
have the prisoners in the calaboose to help him, and 
Mr. P. A. Willsey consented to guard them while 
they worked. He trimmed up the young trees, cut 
down the old decayed ones and planted many new 
ones. He grubbed out the weeds, leveled the ground, 
laid out paths, sowed bushels of blue grass seed 
and made fourteen flower beds and bordered them 
as well as the walk with brick which he begged for 
the purpose. He got from Washington five hudred 
pounds of plants to set out in these beds. He re- 
built the band stand and did a thousand other 
things necessary to make it the beautiful little park 
it is. Through the help of Mr. Grant of the lumber 

116 



THE WHY OP FORT SCOTT 

yard, he had some financial help from generous 
handed citizens. 

Some of the ladies volunteered help in setting out 
the plants in the newly made flower beds. 

It was Mr. Othick who first thought of marking 
the historic places of interest within the city. He 
called in for consultation, Mrs. G. W. Goodlander, 
Mrs. C. Haynes and Mr. Ed Marble. They located the 
different places and the D. A. R. ladies took up the 
matter with the result that all the historic places are 
properly marked. 

Mr. Othick put in many hours of thought, hard la- 
bor and a great deal of his own money into the un- 
dertaking. It cost the city absolutely nothing. 
Truly Mr. Othick was one of our most public mind- 
ed citizens and there should be a tablet put up to 
his memory in some suitable place on this historic 
Plaza. 



•itfi 




117 



